Energy Secretary Perry planning to leave Trump administration: source

[April 18, 2019]    WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry is planning to leave the Trump administration, but his departure is not imminent, a source familiar with the situation said on Wednesday.

U.S. Secretary of Energy Rick Perry speaks to attendees during the Department of Homeland Security's Cybersecurity Summit in Manhattan, New York, U.S., July 31, 2018. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz/File Photo

Perry, a former governor of Texas who has taken a leading role in President Donald Trump's policy of boosting energy production, has been finalizing his departure, the source said.

Perry's plan was first reported by Bloomberg.

"There is no truth that Secretary Perry is departing the Administration any time soon. He is happy where he is serving President Trump and leading the Department of Energy," said department spokeswoman Shaylyn Hynes.

(Reporting by Steve Holland; additional reporting by Valerie Volcovici; Writing by Eric Beech; Editing by Leslie Adler, Peter Cooney and Sandra Maler)

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