Energy Department denies report Sec Rick Perry is preparing to depart

Mary Catherine Wellons | CNBC

Secretary of Energy, Rick Perry speaking at the 2019 CERAWeek conference in Houston, TX on March 11, 2019.

The Department of Energy on Wednesday denied a report that Secretary Rick Perry is preparing to leave his post.

“There is no truth that Secretary Perry is departing the administration any time soon,” Press Secretary Shaylyn Hynes told CNBC. “He is happy where he is serving President Trump in leading the Department of Energy.”

Earlier on Wednesday, Bloomberg News reported that Perry plans to leave the administration and is currently working out the terms and timing of his exit. Bloomberg cited sources who said the departure is not necessarily imminent and Perry has not made up his mind, but that the former Texas governor has been mulling over the move for weeks.

Two sources told Bloomberg that Perry is preparing Deputy Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette for his departure. The news agency reports that Perry wants to build up his income before retiring, citing two sources.

Earlier this month, reports identified Perry as a contender to take over the Department of Homeland Security after Homeland Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen was pushed out. In response, the Energy Department said Perry is content in his current position.

Perry has been a leading advocate for President Donald Trump’s “energy dominance” agenda. He has promoted U.S. energy exports overseas, worked to advance U.S. geostrategic interests through trade and international partnerships and spearheaded plans to keep coal-fired and nuclear power plants on the grid.

He is a familiar face at energy conferences and frequently refers to his current post as the “coolest” job he has ever had.