U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright has wrapped up a 10-day diplomatic and policy tour across Europe, with high-profile stops in Milan, Brussels, and Vienna. While the trip aimed to promote President Trump’s energy agenda—centered on nuclear expansion and increased natural gas exports—it was met with a mix of diplomatic engagement, geopolitical tension, and skeptical reception from parts of Europe’s energy and policy community.

Wright’s European trip spotlighted the United States’ ambition to assert itself as a dominant energy force globally, particularly in the face of Russian influence and China’s rise in nuclear technology exports.

The visit came on the heels of a significant U.S.–E.U. energy trade agreement, which commits the European Union to purchase $750 billion in American energy and invest $600 billion in U.S. energy infrastructure by 2028.

Milan: A Platform for U.S. LNG Expansion

The tour began in Milan, Italy, at the 2025 GasTech Conference, one of the world’s largest gatherings of natural gas stakeholders. In a keynote fireside chat, Wright outlined the U.S. strategy to rapidly grow liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports, crediting a policy reversal by the Trump administration that lifted what he called the "reckless pause" on LNG export approvals under the previous administration.

Wright argued that increasing U.S. gas exports not only enhances global energy security but also provides a critical alternative to "adversarial sources"—a pointed reference to Russian gas exports, which Europe has been trying to phase out since the start of the war in Ukraine.

However, some European leaders and climate activists pushed back. Critics argue that doubling down on fossil fuels like natural gas may delay Europe’s transition to renewables, especially as climate targets loom closer. A Politico E.U. headline captured some of the sentiment: “Trump’s energy chief blasts ‘heartbreaking’ British green transition.”

Brussels: Energy Security or Energy Dependence?

In Brussels, Wright met with members of the European Parliament and Commission, pressing the case for longer-term U.S.–E.U. energy partnerships. Emphasizing the dangers of Russian energy dependency, Wright urged European lawmakers to rethink policies that limit long-term contracts in favor of more flexible, market-driven approaches.

While some European officials welcomed the promise of affordable and stable U.S. energy supplies, others questioned whether increasing reliance on American exports would simply shift one form of energy dependence for another. There was also notable tension over diverging views on climate policy: Wright and U.S. officials criticized what they described as "ideologically driven" energy transitions in parts of Europe, arguing they were driving up costs and stalling growth.

A headline from the New York Times summarized the clash: “Climate ‘ideology’ hurts prosperity, top U.S. officials tell Europeans.”

Vienna: U.S. Nuclear Leadership at the IAEA

Wright concluded his tour in Vienna, where he delivered the U.S. National Statement at the 69th General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). His remarks painted a broad vision of a "second American Nuclear Renaissance", citing President Trump’s executive orders aimed at fast-tracking advanced reactor development, reforming regulation, and designating AI data centers as critical defense facilities—part of a plan to build 300 GW of new U.S. nuclear capacity by 2050.

Wright called for greater global deployment of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), positioning them as a scalable, safe, and affordable solution for nations looking to decarbonize without compromising baseload energy needs.

The speech also took a firm stance on nonproliferation, particularly with respect to Iran. Wright labeled Iran's lack of transparency and safeguards violations as “the most serious threat to the international nonproliferation regime,” reiterating that Iran’s enrichment capabilities must be dismantled before any broader diplomatic engagement can resume.

In a region where nuclear energy remains controversial, reactions were mixed. While nuclear advocates praised the United States’ leadership, others expressed concern that aggressive U.S. promotion of nuclear power could come at the expense of multilateral consensus, especially as China and Russia continue to expand their own nuclear technology exports under different governance models.

Wright’s European trip underscores the Biden-to-Trump energy policy pivot: from climate-first frameworks to a security-and-industry-driven agenda, with fossil fuels and nuclear at the center. It also illustrates the U.S. Department of Energy’s effort to align energy policy with national security, trade, and technology leadership, particularly as AI, manufacturing, and defense increasingly rely on stable, high-output energy systems.

Supporters view Wright’s tour as a reassertion of American energy leadership at a time of rising global instability. Critics, however, caution that the approach could alienate partners whose energy priorities lean more toward renewables and climate commitments.

With global energy markets at a crossroads, Wright’s message was clear—even if not universally welcomed: the United States intends to lead, and it expects others to follow.