Viral Clip of Energy Secretary on Fox News Sparks 'Solar Powered' Jokes and a Flood of Online Reactions
The Energy Secretary, Chris Wright, became an online sensation after a live television moment on showed him with his eyes closed and his head tilted toward the sun; the clip has since generated widespread edits, jokes and official reactions. The episode unfolded just before the president’s appearance in Corpus Christi, Texas, making the brief on-air lapse a surprising interlude to an event focused on energy policy.
moment: what happened on air
During a live split-screen segment, an anchor introduced Chris Wright as the camera cut to him. Wright, a former oil and gas executive who has previously stirred backlash for his opposition to solar energy, appeared with his eyes closed and his head tilted upward toward the sun; one observer described his mouth as agape. One of the anchors appeared to giggle at the unusual sight, and the live feed ended abruptly when Wright did not respond to his name. A voice could be heard in the background, seemingly alerting him that he was on camera.
How the clip spread and the edits that followed
The clip was posted online by user Acyn and has garnered over 800, 000 views. It quickly inspired edited versions and memes: one altered clip shared by Representative Jared Moskowitz showed Wright seemingly captured by a beam of light and disappearing, accompanied by Moskowitz’s caption asking, "Where did he go?" Other users and commentators stitched and remixed the moment into short viral pieces that circulated widely on social media platforms.
Online reaction: jokes, riffs and nicknames
The moment prompted a cascade of reactions from journalists, political operatives and commentators. Emily Brooks quipped, "Is he solar powered?" Peter Wade asked, "Does he think he’s being raptured?" Aaron Rupar wrote, "What the hell was Chris Wright doing here?" Ron Filipkowski, an editor-in-chief, dubbed Wright "The Secretary of No Energy. " David Clinch called the clip an "instant meme. "
- Representative Jared Moskowitz (D-FL): "Where did he go?"
- Alexa Henning, spokesperson for the Director of National Intelligence: "You laugh but no one in dc has seen the sun for months. Totally acceptable. "
- Kendall Witmer, a rapid response director: "Just a girlie trying to cure his seasonal depression"
- PatriotTakes: "For someone so against solar energy he seems to really like the Sun"
- Alexander C. Kaufman: "The Trump administration really is embracing solar huh"
- Liz Charboneau, research director at House Majority PAC: "Energy secretary who is going to be ok"
- Joshua Wingrove, identified as a reporter: "Friday afternoon mood"
Context on the ground: Corpus Christi event and live production notes
The on-air moment preceded the president’s appearance in Corpus Christi, Texas, where the message emphasized "American Energy dominance. " In that speech the president cheered improved energy affordability and increased U. S. leverage abroad, while touting expanded domestic drilling, the rollback of clean-energy programs and recent actions in Venezuela. The president also referenced oil and gas production as key components in national security and economic stability.
During the segment with Wright, loud music could be heard from his side of the broadcast coming from Corpus Christi as he touted the president’s economic message for the event, saying in part that "he's doing everything possible to lower prices, " along with "higher wages. " One of the on-screen anchors smiled and appeared to glance off-camera toward production staff as the moment unfolded.
Official responses and what remains uncertain
The Department of Energy reacted to a White House deputy chief of staff’s post about the clip by posting, "Exactly—God forbid @SecretaryWright catch a vibe!" The deputy chief of staff’s post said, "My boy is powering up so what. " An outlet reached out to the Department of Energy email Friday night for comment. It is immediately unknown if the administration has any future energy speeches planned around the country.
About the writer in the provided coverage
The coverage that included this account was supplied by Nicole Charky-Chami, identified as a senior editor based in Los Angeles who writes and produces breaking news. Her background in the provided material notes that she teaches journalism courses for UCLA Extension, previously taught at Loyola Marymount University, and has worked with a range of regional and national news outlets and services. She is described as a Southern California native and a graduate of Loyola University Chicago.
As the clip continues to circulate, the moment has become an unexpected cultural aside to a policy-focused event, producing a steady stream of edits and commentary even as official outreach and planning for related speeches remain unclear.
