Dem
47
GOP
53
Those people who expected chaos in Trump v2.0 are probably not going to be surprised, at least if some initial signs are any indication (e.g., see above for example 1). Now on to example 2. One of Donald Trump's pet projects is a National Energy Council, to be chaired by Doug Burgum (R-ND), the outgoing governor of a state that produces a lot of oil. Burgum has also been designated as Secretary of the Interior, where he will play a big role in deciding whether to drill for oil in National Parks and other federal land.
But even before the NEC has fired up, it is in trouble. To start with, the acronym NEC has already been claimed by the National Economic Council. Next, neither Burgum nor anyone else knows what the Council's mission, authority, budget, or staff will be. Trump has said it will report to Stephen Miller, who has no knowledge of, or interest in, energy. He is focused like a laser on immigration. Turf wars are expected, since in the past, that other NEC, as well as the NSC, played a big role in energy policy. Are they going to give up their power lightly? Don't count on it.
Even Burgum's role is in doubt. Trump's nominee for Secretary of Energy is Chris Wright, a climate-change denier who is CEO of the second largest fracking company in America. Unlike his predecessor in Trump v1.0, Rick Perry, Wright knows that the Dept. of Energy doesn't have much to say about energy (its major mission is storing America's nuclear weapons). As someone with a background in actual energy production, he is envious of Burgum. Trump could make him co-chair, but that would rankle Burgum, a billionaire who was promised the whole job, not half the job.
In short, Trump thought of something—a national energy council—but didn't think it out carefully and as a result it could very well fall flat and upset a lot of people, including one or two of his cabinet appointees. This could well be prelude to more chaos in the future as Trump tends to do things on a whim without thinking them out well. Then he leaves others to clean up the mess (and to take the blame). (V)