Rick Perry’s Office Denies Reports He’s Headed For The Exit

There’s “no truth” to reports that Energy Secretary Rick Perry is planning on leaving the Trump administration anytime soon, a Department of Energy (DOE) spokeswoman said.

“He is happy where he is serving President Trump and leading the Department of Energy,” spokeswoman Shaylyn Hynes tweeted Wednesday night.

“There is no truth that @SecretaryPerry is departing the Administration any time soon. He is happy where he is serving President Trump and leading the Department of Energy” – Shaylyn Hynes, @ENERGY Press Secretary

— DOE Press Staff (@EnergyPress) April 18, 2019

Bloomberg reported that Perry was finalizing his exit strategy from the Trump administration, based on two anonymous sources familiar with the former Texas governor’s plans. Perry’s exit isn’t imminent, one source told reporters, “he has been seriously considering his departure for weeks.”

Perry is preparing Deputy Secretary Dan Brouillette to take the reins, two sources told Bloomberg. The sources said part of the reason Perry is looking to leave is “a desire to build his income before retiring.”

The Senate confirmed Perry to head DOE in 2017 where he’s pushed Trump’s “energy dominance” agenda, including expediting natural gas exports and a failed attempt to prop up struggling coal and nuclear power plants.

Perry’s also been able to maintain a low profile while other cabinet officials came under intense scrutiny from activists, reporters and Democratic lawmakers. In fact, Perry is one of the few original cabinet members left from the administration’s early days.

Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen is the latest cabinet official to leave. Trump asked Perry if he’d like to head the Department of Homeland Security before hiring Nielson, Bloomberg reported.