Trump Is Replacing Obama’s Energy Secretary, a Nuclear Physicist, With Rick Perry – and Twitter Is Exploding
‘The current US Energy Secretary won a Nobel Prize in Physics, Trump’s pick Rick Perry couldn’t win Dancing with the Stars.’
President Barack Obama’s first Secretary of Energy was Nobel prize winning physicist Steven Chu. His second and current Secretary of Energy, Ernest Moniz, is a nuclear physicist. Donald Trump just announced his nominee to become his Secretary of Energy: former Texas governor and failed GOP presidential candidate Rick Perry.
Moniz, before coming to the Obama administration, had served of the faculty of the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) since 1973, with a few stints in the Clinton administration, including as Deputy Secretary of Energy. Chu’s parents came to the U.S. to study at MIT. “Education in my family was not merely emphasized, it was our raison d’être,” he wrote in his Nobel prize bio.
Donald Trump’s nominee, Rick Perry, holds a a Bachelor of Science from Texas A&M University and famously during a presidential debate couldn’t remember the name of the Dept. of Energy, but described it as a part of the federal government he would eliminate if elected president.
WATCH: Rick Perry, Trump’s expected pick for Sec. of Energy, famously forgot he wanted to abolish the energy department in a 2011 debate. pic.twitter.com/hx8YR4i0Vp
— Good Morning America (@GMA) December 13, 2016
A few tried to defend the choice of Perry, but got immediate pushback:
@amyewalter Except that 90 percent of the Energy Department budget is for nuclear weapons design, stewardship, cleanup and basic science.
— Jonathan Weisman (@jonathanweisman) December 13, 2016
The Dept. of Energy is not primarily focused on fossil fuels, but rather, the development of new energy technologies and the cleanup and and proper disposal of nuclear radioactive wastes with a focus on protecting the environment.
Meanwhile, Twitter, of course, has erupted, mocking Perry and Trump for the nomination.
This first tweet from The Daily Beast’s executive editor says it all, but take a look at the others too:
Maybe the ultimate Trump move at the Energy Department. From a MIT nuclear physicist to this. pic.twitter.com/OT4ARd71DI
— Noah Shachtman (@NoahShachtman) December 13, 2016
Reading Rick Perry, who infamously forgot the existence of the Dept. of Energy, is Trump’s pick to lead it. You can’t make this crap up.
— Ana Navarro (@ananavarro) December 13, 2016
Trump is replacing our current Secretary of Energy, a nuclear physicist–A NUCLEAR PHYSICIST– with Rick Perry.
RICK PERRY.— Victoria Dahl (@VictoriaDahl) December 13, 2016
Sure Rick Perry forgot the Department of Energy existed but in his defense, Giuliani forgot 9/11 existed and he was the mayor of NYC.
— (((OhNoSheTwitnt))) (@OhNoSheTwitnt) December 13, 2016
Rick Perry replacing a nucl. scientist as Sec.of Energy would be like an internet troll replacing a constitutional law Prof as POTUS😂
wait😱
— Amir (@amiraminiMD) December 13, 2016
“I thought of Rick Perry for Energy Secretary, after I noticed he had great energy on Dancing With The Stars.” – Donald Trump
— Harmon Dash (@dashingharmon) December 13, 2016
RICK PERRY FOR SECRETARY OF ENERGY
I am done satire is pointless good night— Tom Tomorrow (@tomtomorrow) December 13, 2016
Waiting on @realDonaldTrump to nominate Bozo The Clown next but he can’t because he’s already PEOTUS https://t.co/PoGOcX3gyH
— Eat, Drink & Be Mary (@MWJ1231) December 13, 2016
LATER TODAY: Donald Trump will announce his choice for The Department of Haystacks. pic.twitter.com/KSljLnolIy
— JRehling (@JRehling) December 12, 2016
Have other energy secretaries been on “Dancing With The Stars,” or is Rick Perry the first?
— topperlilien (@topperlilien) December 13, 2016
Rick Perry as Energy secretary in charge of fossil fuels and nuclear weapons? What could go wrong?
— smith2425 (@ddsmith3388) December 13, 2016
The current US Energy Secretary won a Nobel Prize in Physics, Trump’s pick Rick Perry couldn’t win Dancing with the Stars.
— S. Rahman🀠(@srahm2k) December 13, 2016
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