Senator Padilla presses Wright on social‑media posts about wildfires; nominee affirms climate change is real but stands by prior comments
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Summary
Senator Alex Padilla challenged nominee Chris Wright over social media posts that appeared to undercut the severity of recent California wildfires. Wright said climate change is "real and global" but also maintained his prior phrasing, while promising to follow the scientific method and protect research integrity.
Senator Alex Padilla pressed Chris Wright on social‑media posts and reposts that Padilla described as minimizing the danger and human toll of California wildfires. Padilla said he was "pretty disappointed" by posts Wright had shared and asked directly whether Wright believed last week's deadly wildfires were "just hype."
Wright replied, "Climate change is a real and global phenomenon," and said he watched the destruction "with horror." He added that he "stands by" his past comments but emphasized the need for American leadership in energy innovation and for improving the electric grid to reduce wildfire risk.
Padilla also asked whether Wright would commit to publishing non‑classified DOE research and not censor scientific work; Wright answered, "Absolutely, senator. The scientific process has been a key driver of our progress," and said he would follow the scientific method and the laws and statutes of the United States.
Why it matters: Public comments by a cabinet nominee about climate and disasters can shape public confidence and receive scrutiny from senators whose constituents were affected. Padilla pressed for commitments that DOE science remain available and that risk assessments for events tied to climate be taken seriously.
Ending: Wright said he was "heart wrenching" watching the fires and expressed support for DOE assistance to states on grid resilience and wildfire risk reduction, while maintaining that technology and innovation are part of the solution.