Trump Appoints Wells Griffith as Under Secretary of Energy Amid Scrutiny Over Impeachment Ties
Donald Trump and his wife Melania attended the state funeral held in Washington, D.C., for former President Jimmy Carter. (Photo by Ricky Carioti – Pool/Getty Images)
On Thursday morning, President-elect Donald Trump announced another wave of appointments for his incoming administration, including Wells Griffith as the Under Secretary of Energy at the Department of Energy. The pick has drawn attention due to Griffith’s connection to Trump’s first impeachment in 2020. Trump shared the news on Truth Social, praising Griffith’s past contributions.
“It is my honor to announce that Wells Griffith will be the next Under Secretary of Energy at the United States Department of Energy. During my First Term, Wells served as the Senior Advisor to the CEO of the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation, Senior Director for Energy and Environment on the National Security Council, as well as Acting Assistant Secretary for International Affairs at the Department of Energy,” Trump wrote.
He added, “Wells will now work with our highly respected Secretary of Energy Nominee, Chris Wright, to DRILL, BABY, DRILL, and unleash American Energy Dominance. Congratulations Wells!”
Griffith’s prior work for the Trump administration was relatively low-profile, but his name surfaced during the investigation into Trump’s attempts to pressure Ukraine officials for political favors. These efforts led to Trump’s impeachment in early 2020 on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.
Griffith notably defied a House subpoena during the impeachment inquiry. According to a CNN report, he failed to appear for his deposition on November 5, 2019. Dan Goldman, then a House investigator and now a congressman from New York, documented the absence, stating, “We’re on the record.
This is the deposition of Preston Wells Griffith. It is after 9 o’clock in the morning. The subpoena for the witness was to appear at 9 o’clock. The witness is not here.”
Congressional reports revealed that Griffith was present at a July 10, 2019, White House meeting where Ukrainian officials were told that a desired meeting with President Zelensky was contingent on Ukraine pursuing political investigations pushed by Trump and Rudy Giuliani.
Griffith later transitioned to a role with the Overseas Private Investment Corporation in December 2019. Trump’s impeachment trial began on January 16, 2020, ending with acquittal after Senate Republicans, except for Sen. Mitt Romney, voted against the charges.
Griffith’s new appointment aligns with Trump’s energy policy goals but also resurrects scrutiny of his role in the events surrounding Trump’s first impeachment.
