Trump picks Texas ex-Governor as Energy Secretary

United States President-elect Donald Trump has chosen Texas former Governor and ex-Governor for the White House Rick Perry, as the new Energy Secretary, media reports said on Tuesday.

On Monday, Perry ex-Governor held a 90-minute meeting with the President-designate at Trump Tower in New York, reports Efe.

Perry, 66, had participated in the recent Republican primaries, and was a fierce Trump critic who compared his candidacy to “a cancer on conservatism”.

A poor outlook in opinion polls made Perry pull out from the running early on, choosing to instead back Senator Ted Cruz in the race.

However, when Trump’s victory became inevitable, he opted to root for the New York-based business tycoon.

An Air Force veteran, Perry served as Texas governor for over 14 years (2000-2015) and had also participated in the 2012 Republican primaries.

His campaign had nosedived when during a debate with other Republican aspirants in Michigan, he could not recall the name of one of the three departments he was planning to shut down if chosen President.

Ironically, the department he could not name was Energy, which he is now set to take charge of beginning January 20.

An opponent of state intervention, Perry turned Texas into an anti-establishment force with constant face-offs with President Barack Obama and a fluctuating stand on immigration.