WASHINGTON — Rick Perry, President-elect Donald Trump’s choice for Energy secretary, has close ties to the Texas oil industry and has corporate roles in two petroleum companies pushing to get government approval for the proposed 1,200-mile crude oil pipeline that has stoked mass protests in North Dakota. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday formally announced Rick Perry, a former Texas governor and Trump's one-time presidential rival, as his choice to lead the U.S. Department of Energy. Perry’s most famous ad from his presidential campaign in 2011 was one where he lamented that “there’s something wrong in this country when gays can serve openly in the military but our kids can’t openly celebrate Christmas or pray in school.” In that spot, he promised to end the “war on religion” and vowed to “fight against liberal attacks on our religious heritage.”
President-elect Trump announces former Governor of Texas Rick Perry is his choice to be Secretary of Energy.