Trump names pick for nuclear weapons head at Energy Department

President Trump plans to nominate Lisa Gordon-Hagerty to be the Department of Energy’s (DOE) undersecretary for nuclear security, a job that oversees the country’s stockpile of nuclear weapons.

Gordon-Hagerty, a veteran of DOE and the White House, currently leads the national security consulting firms Tier Tech International and LEG Inc., the White House said in a statement.

In her new role, she would also become head of the National Nuclear Security Administration within DOE. The agency oversees the development, maintenance and disposal of the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile.

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The Defense Department, in comparison, manages the aircraft, ships and missiles that carry the weapons.

If confirmed for the position, Gordon-Hagerty would replace retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Frank Klotz, who has been in the role since 2014.

Energy Secretary Rick Perry in January initially asked Klotz to step down without a plan to replace him, but pulled back on the decision after significant blowback.

Gordon-Hagerty’s confirmation process is likely to go smoothly, as she comes with an impressive list of past government jobs. She served as the director for combating terrorism on the White House National Security Council for more than five years under former Presidents Clinton and George W. Bush.

In addition, she worked at DOE as acting director of the Office of Nuclear Weapons Surety and for six years as the director of the Office of Emergency Response, the White House noted in its announcement. Before that she was a staff member on the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

She also sits on the board for the Federation of American Scientists.