In shake up, Rick Perry moves into Trump's national security inner circle
President Trump has named Energy Secretary Rick Perry to serve as one of his chief national security advisers, according to a memorandum published Wednesday.
Former Gov. Perry is sworn in before testifying at a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing on his nomination to be Energy secretary on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on January 19, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Barria
WASHINGTON - A new memorandum Wednesday revealed that U.S. Secretary of Energy Rick Perry will be added to President Donald Trump's National Security Council, the chief executive's main advisory group on intelligence and defense matters.
The move came as part of a broader shake up of the council. The president's chief strategist, Steve Bannon, was removed from the council, while other members of the executive branch were elevated to the advisory group. Bloomberg News first reported the news of the changes.
As secretary of energy, Perry oversees the country's nuclear arsenal. His predecessor, former Sec. Ernest Moniz, played a key role in negotiating the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran.
Perry evolved from one of Trump's fiercest critics in his short-lived 2015 presidential run to becoming a member of Trump's cabinet.
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While Perry struggled to regain his footing after his "oops" moment in a 2011 presidential debate, his tenure leading the Department of Energy has been one of the most drama-free of Trump's appointments so far.
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