Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Energy Department, said Thursday that he regrets having previously proposed the elimination of the department. During a Republican primary debate in 2011, Perry infamously forgot that he wanted to nix the department. “My past statements made over five years ago about abolishing the Department of Energy do not reflect my current thinking,” Perry said during his confirmation hearing. “After being briefed on so many of the vital functions of the Department of Energy, I regret recommending its elimination.”
