Energy, environment Cabinet names to watch for Trump, Harris
Photo illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios. Photos: Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images and Selcuk Acar/Anadolu via Getty Images
With the election a week away, let's look at some of the people who could get top jobs in the next Kamala Harris or Donald Trump administrations.
Why it matters: Harris could bring back some familiar faces who wouldn't need to be reconfirmed. But thin margins in the Senate for other picks could make confirmation battles a big part of 2025 for either her or Trump.
Trump
Energy Secretary
- North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum is a Trump surrogate and key messenger on energy issues. He's seen as the top contender for this or for Interior — if he doesn't land a more high-profile role.
- Former Trump Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette just resigned as CEO of the Edison Electric Institute. He was a competent operator in the back half of Trump's first term, but some sources doubt he'd return.
Interior Secretary
- Since 2020, former Trump Interior Secretary David Bernhardt has kept ties to Hill Republicans, written a book on how to dismantle the federal bureaucracy and taken a role at Trump-y think tank America First Policy Institute. It's also possible he lands elsewhere.
- Sen. Cynthia Lummis was a serious candidate last time around, though she recently told E&E News that she wouldn't shoot for it in a second Trump administration.
EPA Administrator
- Former Administrator Andrew Wheeler has kept his ties to Trump — he provided climate talking points during the first debate — and to Hill Republicans.
- Mandy Gunasekara, the former EPA chief of staff, wrote the agency's chapter for Project 2025 and, like Bernhardt, has written a book on "draining the swamp."
What we're watching: Vivek Ramaswamy and RFK Jr. are in Trump's orbit, but it's unclear what kind of role, if any, either would play in his second administration.
- We're also monitoring folks who served in Trump 1.0, like former FERC Commissioner Bernard McNamee (a Project 2025 author), former Interior official Katharine MacGregor and RNC Chair Michael Whatley, a close Trump ally with a background in energy issues.
- And it's worth keeping an eye on top state officials, including Aurelia Skipwith Giacometto, a former Trump official who now leads Louisiana's environmental regulator.
Harris
Energy Secretary
- Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm is seen as a favorite for keeping the job. She's earned praise from both sides of the aisle and indicated to Axios she might be open to staying on board under Harris.
- Washington Gov. Jay Inslee is a longtime climate hawk who could return to D.C. once his term is up in January. Many of his former staffers are influential in Dem circles via Evergreen Action.
Interior Secretary
- Deb Haaland could stay on, continuing her focus on opening public lands for renewable energy while promoting environmental protection and tribal outreach.
- Sen. Jon Tester is seen as a good candidate if he loses his reelection race, given his focus on public lands. He's also popular with his Senate colleagues and would likely be confirmable with tight margins.
EPA Administrator
- Michael Regan has led the EPA for most of Biden's term and could remain to ensure a continuity of policies, including the $27 billion Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund and climate regulations under fire from industry.
- Mary Nichols, a former EPA and top California environmental official, has been a long-running favorite to lead the agency in Democratic administrations. She nearly became Biden's EPA pick but faced opposition from environmental justice advocates.
What we're watching: Biden secretaries who stay on wouldn't need to undergo confirmation again, according to the Partnership for Public Service. That would be a huge deal with a closely divided or GOP-run Senate.
- Still, we're watching other names, like well-respected Deputy Energy Secretary David Turk or New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, who's overseeing an energy transition in a state with a major oil and gas presence.
