Trump to Replace FERC Leader with Vinson & Elkins Attorney Laura Swett

President Donald Trump has nominated Vinson & Elkins attorney Laura Swett to head the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).

Current FERC Chairman Mark C. Christie announced the news on X late on June 2, saying that he was notified of the change by a media request for comment.

Swett’s law firm confirmed the report in a statement emailed to Hart Energy on June 3.

“We congratulate our colleague Laura Swett on her nomination to the FERC. Laura is a talented and widely respected regulatory lawyer who will bring great experience and sound judgment to the FERC,” said Keith Fullenweider, chairman of Vinson & Elkins, in the statement. “We are excited that Laura has been asked to serve during this crucial time for our nation’s energy future. She has our admiration and full support.”

Swett has represented midstream and power companies at FERC hearings and has years of experience within the agency. Prior to joining Vinson & Elkins as a litigator in 2023, she had served as a FERC adviser to two Republican commissioners.

Trump emphasized pipeline construction both prior to the election and after taking office. In March, he promoted his plans to revive the Constitution Pipeline project, a natural gas line that would provide a major new pathway for Appalachian natural gas to reach New England customers.

Williams Cos. (WMB) halted development on the project in 2020, but announced at the end of May that the company was moving forward on the Constitution and another northeast gas supply project.

On X, Christie said he would stay in office for a short time after June 30 to “help get key orders out.”

Trump promoted Christie to the chairman’s role immediately after becoming president in January.

Christie, nominated to the commission by Trump in 2020, has served as a FERC commissioner since 2021. Before his federal term, he had spent 17 years on the Virginia State Corporation Commission, which regulates utilities, insurance and banking.

A former FERC chairman lauded the choice of Swett to lead the commission, though he criticized how Christie was dismissed.

“This is so bittersweet,” wrote Neil Chatterjee, who served on the commission from 2017 to 2020, on X. “I adore Laura Swett and believe she will be an excellent [FERC] chair. … But [Christie] is a patriot. All he did was run the agency well. He’s a veteran who has dedicated his life to serving America. He deserved better.”

Swett faces confirmation hearings before the GOP-controlled Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. The six-year term would end in June 2030.

By law, FERC commissioners "serve at the pleasure of the commission, not the president" and "may be removed by the President only for inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office."