Fox News Clip of Energy Secretary Chris Wright Turns Into Viral Meme
Energy Secretary Chris Wright was seen with his eyes closed and head tilted toward the sun during a live split-screen shot, a moment on that quickly became a viral sensation and drew widespread online commentary. The timing — immediately before President Donald Trump’s speech in Corpus Christi, Texas about American energy dominance — amplified the viral reach and prompted official and partisan responses.
Chris Wright’s on-air posture and immediate broadcast details
During a live segment, Wright appeared to be basking in sunlight with his eyes closed and his head tilted upward as anchors cut to him. A voice off-camera then alerted him to the fact he was on air; the live feed ended abruptly when he did not respond to his name. Loud music was audible from Wright’s side of the broadcast in Corpus Christi as he went on to discuss the president’s visit, emphasizing that on the ground there was "a lot of enthusiasm. " He also echoed the administration’s economic talking points, saying in part that the president was "doing everything possible to lower prices, " along with supporting "higher wages. "
split-screen with John Roberts and Sandra Smith
On the split screen, anchor John Roberts introduced Wright, and Sandra Smith was visible reacting with a smile and an amused glance off-camera. The shared shot captured the moment Wright appeared unresponsive at first, creating an awkward on-air beat before the feed cut away.
Posts by Acyn, Jared Moskowitz and Emily Brooks that drove the clip online
A brief video posted to X by user Acyn has drawn more than 800, 000 views as it circulated on social media. The clip was shared broadly on February 27, 2026, prompting quick riffs and edits: Representative Jared Moskowitz posted an edited version with the caption "Where did he go?" and journalist Emily Brooks asked, "Is he solar powered?" Several other users and commentators created variants and quips that spread the clip further.
Comments from public figures and online commentators
Reactions ranged from mocking to playful. Aaron Rupar wrote, "What the hell was Chris Wright doing here?" Ron Filipkowski called him "The Secretary of No Energy. " Peter Wade asked, "Does he think he’s being raptured?" David Clinch labeled the clip an "Instant meme. " Alexander C. Kaufman quipped, "The Trump administration really is embracing solar huh, " while Liz Charboneau wrote, "Energy secretary who is going to be ok. " reporter Joshua Wingrove summed up the mood with "Friday afternoon mood. " A handful of political operatives and staff chimed in: Kendall Witmer wrote, "Just a girlie trying to cure his seasonal depression, " PatriotTakes observed, "For someone so against solar energy he seems to really like the Sun, " and Alexa Henning noted, "You laugh but no one in dc has seen the sun for months. Totally acceptable. "
Department of Energy and White House reaction
The Department of Energy responded to a White House Deputy Chief of Staff post with the comment, "Exactly—God forbid @SecretaryWright catch a vibe!" The deputy chief of staff had posted, "My boy is powering up so what. " The Department of Energy was also contacted by email Friday night for comment about the broadcast moment. It is unclear in the provided context whether the administration has additional energy speeches planned elsewhere.
Context of President Trump’s Corpus Christi speech and energy messaging
The on-air moment occurred immediately before President Trump’s appearance in Corpus Christi, Texas, where he focused on what was described as "American Energy dominance. " In that speech the president highlighted improved energy affordability, U. S. leverage abroad, expanded domestic drilling, the rollback of clean-energy programs and recent actions in Venezuela, and positioned oil and gas production as components of national security and economic stability. Wright’s live comments echoed the administration’s framing of lower costs and higher wages.
What makes this notable is how a brief technical or human miscue in a live split-screen can cascade into a broad political and cultural moment: within hours the clip had exceeded 800, 000 views and produced a stream of edits, jokes and official responses that tied a fleeting image to larger debates about energy policy and administration messaging.
Background material about coverage of the clip includes mention of Nicole Charky-Chami, noted as a senior editor based in Los Angeles who teaches journalism at UCLA Extension and previously taught at Loyola Marymount University; she has worked with multiple outlets and is identified as a Southern California native and a graduate of Loyola University Chicago. Copyright information in the provided context is dated 2026.
