Fox News Clip of Energy Secretary Chris Wright Basking in Sun Becomes Instant Meme
A brief television moment on — Energy Secretary Chris Wright seen with his eyes closed and head tilted up toward the sun during a live split-screen — exploded online and prompted a wave of jokes and edited clips on X on Feb. 27, 2026.
cut to him during a live split-screen
Anchors introduced Wright as a preview of President Donald Trump’s speech in Corpus Christi, Texas, with John Roberts saying, “All right, now with the preview of the president's speech, let’s bring in the secretary of energy, Chris Wright. He joins us now. ” In the split-screen with Roberts and anchor Sandra Smith, Wright is visible with his eyes closed and facing the sunny sky during the live feed. One anchor appeared to giggle, and the live feed ended abruptly when Wright did not respond to his name.
How the clip spread online
A short video posted to X by user Acyn gathered over 800, 000 views and was reshared by users who edited the moment into visual jokes. On Feb. 27, 2026, multiple posts turned the clip into a meme: one edited version shared by Representative Jared Moskowitz showed Wright being captured by a beam of light and disappearing, while others added captions and sound edits. Loud music from the Corpus Christi location was audible at times during Wright’s brief on-camera remarks.
Reactions from politicians and commentators
The clip drew a broad range of reactions on X. Emily Brooks wrote, “Is he solar powered?” Peter Wade asked, “Does he think he’s being raptured?” Aaron Rupar posted, “What the hell was Chris Wright doing here?” Ron Filipkowski called him “The Secretary of No Energy. ” Kendall Witmer wrote, “Just a girlie trying to cure his seasonal depression, ” and an account known as PatriotTakes quipped, “For someone so against solar energy he seems to really like the Sun. ” Alexa Henning, a spokesperson for the Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, posted, “You laugh but no one in dc has seen the sun for months. Totally acceptable. ”
What Wright said during the live hit
When Wright spoke on the split-screen during the preview of the president’s appearance in Corpus Christi, he promoted the president’s message that there is “a lot of enthusiasm” on the ground and framed the visit around economic themes. Wright used the phrases “he's doing everything possible to lower prices” and “higher wages” while referencing the administration's energy agenda. In President Trump’s speech in Corpus Christi, the president cheered improved energy affordability and U. S. leverage abroad, touted expanded domestic drilling, the rollback of clean‑energy programs and recent actions in Venezuela, and described oil and gas production as key components in national security and economic stability.
Newsroom follow-up and author note
Newsroom staff reached out to the Department of Energy email Friday night for comment. The Department of Energy also responded publicly to a post by White House Deputy Chief of Staff James Blair, tweeting, “Exactly—God forbid @SecretaryWright catch a vibe!” Blair’s post read, “My boy is powering up so what. ”
Who documented the moment
Nicole Charky-Chami, a senior editor based in Los Angeles who teaches journalism at UCLA Extension and previously taught at Loyola Marymount University, wrote a version of the account that noted Wright did not appear to realize he was on camera and that the moment immediately became fodder online. Her biography lists prior work with the Los Angeles Times, Times Community News, Maria Shriver, Vertical Networks, attn:, Patch and City News Service; she is a Southern California native and a Loyola University Chicago graduate.
It is immediately unknown if the administration has any future energy speeches planned around the country; for now, the next confirmed item on the public schedule is unclear in the provided context.
