President Trump intends to nominate Deputy Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette to replace outgoing Energy Secretary Rick Perry, who turned in a resignation letter amid his connection to the Ukraine debacle.
The state of play: Perry plans on leaving his post by the end of the year, according to the president's tweet on Friday. Brouillette has a lower profile than Perry but supports the same basic agenda, including nuclear power and exports of liquefied natural gas, per Axios' Amy Harder.
What Trump tweeted:
"I want to thank Secretary of Energy Rick Perry for the outstanding job he has done. He will be leaving at the end of the year to pursue other interests. Rick was a great Governor of Texas and a great Secretary of Energy.
"He is also my friend! At the same time, I am pleased to nominate Deputy Secretary Dan Brouillette to be the new Secretary of Energy. Dan’s experience in the sector is unparalleled. A total professional, I have no doubt that Dan will do a great job!"
The bottom line: The nomination will be made when the White House formally submits Brouillette's name to the Senate for consideration.
Go deeper: Energy Secretary Rick Perry offers Trump his resignation
