President Donald Trump on Friday announced that he has nominated Deputy Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette to replace departing Energy chief Rick Perry.
"I am pleased to nominate Deputy Secretary Dan Brouillette to be the new Secretary of Energy. Dan's experience in the sector is unparalleled. A total professional, I have no doubt that Dan will do a great job!" Trump tweeted Friday afternoon.
Brouillette, 57, had previously served as a top lobbyist for the Ford Motor Company. Before joining Trump's Department of Energy, he was the head of public policy for the United Services Automobile Association, or USAA, a military-focused financial institution. He reportedly worked for USAA for 11 years.
From 1998 to 2000, Brouillette worked as a lobbyist for firm Fleishman-Hillard, according to the Center for Responsive Politics' Open Secrets.
Trump announced in April 2017 that Brouillette would be nominated to the Energy Department — his second stint at the agency, where he had worked as assistant secretary for Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs under former President George W. Bush.
Perry will step down at the end of the year, Trump said at a rally in Dallas on Thursday night.
The former Texas governor's departure was revealed shortly after his name became entangled in the growing impeachment inquiry into Trump.
Perry told CNBC on Friday morning that he is not sure whether he will comply with a subpoena from House Democrats conducting the probe. He faces a Friday deadline to hand over a slew of Ukraine-related documents to the House Intelligence, Oversight and Foreign Affairs committees.
This is breaking news. Please check back for updates.