WASHINGTON — Energy Secretary Chris Wright sparked confusion during a Tuesday ceremony when he declared the nation “looks like we’re going in the wrong direction” while promoting a new natural gas pipeline initiative.
Wright was addressing attendees at the ceremonial groundbreaking for a pipeline system designed to carry natural gas from Pennsylvania to New York City and Long Island. During his remarks, he praised President Donald Trump for “driving down costs for Americans and driving up job opportunities and wages for Americans.”
However, Wright appeared to make an error shortly afterward when he stated, “Just because it looks like we’re going in the wrong direction doesn’t mean that’s the direction we are going.”
Following the event, the Energy Department released selected portions of Wright’s speech that excluded the “wrong direction” remark.
This marks Wright’s second public communications mishap in recent weeks. Last month, he shared a social media video falsely claiming the U.S. Navy had assisted an oil tanker through the Strait of Hormuz during ongoing Middle East tensions. That post was subsequently removed, with department officials attributing the mistake to Wright’s staff.
Tuesday’s ceremony in Brooklyn celebrated the Northeast Supply Enhancement Pipeline, a Williams Companies project that officials say will deliver cost-effective and dependable energy to millions of regional residents.
The initiative represents an extension of current pipeline infrastructure spanning Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York, and had been designated as a key objective under the Trump administration.
Both this project and another Williams pipeline called the Constitution Pipeline faced lengthy delays due to environmental objections. The Trump administration, which has prioritized expanding oil and gas infrastructure, worked to revive construction efforts for both pipelines.
These pipeline approvals followed the Trump administration’s decision to drop its opposition to a major offshore wind development near Long Island that New York Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul had strongly supported.
Hochul agreed to examine the pipeline proposals last year following intensive pressure from the Trump administration. However, she rejected suggestions of any quid pro quo arrangement linking the wind farm and gas pipeline decisions, stating in a release that she “will work with the administration and private entities on new energy projects that meet the legal requirements under New York law.”
