Previously published on TIME.
President-elect Donald Trump has announced his selection of former campaign rival Rick Perry to be the country’s next secretary of energy.
In a statement early Wednesday on his decision, Trump said that Perry, a former governor of Texas, had led his state through “a sustained period of economic growth and prosperity” by developing its energy resources and infrastructure.
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Trump says in his statement that his administration “is going to make sure we take advantage of our huge natural resource deposits to make America energy independent and create vast new wealth for our nation.”
Perry calls it “a tremendous honor” to be chosen for Trump’s Cabinet. Perry adds that he looks forward to “engaging in a conversation” about America’s energy future.