Abstract
This paper examines the professional connections of Rob Bradley Jr. to the Trump administration’s Climate Working Group (CWG), the CO₂ Coalition, and key figures including Roy Spencer, John Christy, Chris Wright, and Donald J. Trump. It evaluates Bradley’s advocacy for the CWG’s work, the legal and ethical implications of the CWG’s formation under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), and Bradley’s broader influence on U.S. energy policy through his roles at the Institute for Energy Research (IER), MasterResource, and related organizations.
Original Paper: Trump, Chris Wright, the CO2 Coalition, Epstein Elite, and Crimes Against Humanity
Introduction
Rob Bradley Jr. is a prominent free-market energy economist, author, and senior fellow at the American Institute for Economic Research (AIER). He is the founder and CEO of the Institute for Energy Research (IER), and founder of the MasterResource blog. His work has frequently intersected with fossil fuel advocacy, critiques of renewable energy subsidies, and opposition to climate regulations.
Under the Trump administration, Bradley publicly promoted the work of the Climate Working Group (CWG), a secretive panel of climate skeptics tasked with producing a report used to justify repealing the 2009 Greenhouse Gas Endangerment Finding. This paper documents Bradley’s connections to the CWG, outlines the CWG’s formation, its violation of federal law, and Bradley’s influence on energy and climate policy.
The Climate Working Group (CWG)
Composition and Purpose
The CWG was a five-member advisory body formed under Energy Secretary Chris Wright during the Trump administration. Its members included:
- Roy Spencer, climatologist at the University of Alabama in Huntsville
- John Christy, climatologist at the University of Alabama in Huntsville
- Judith Curry, atmospheric scientist
- Steven Koonin, physicist
- Ross McKitrick, economist
The group produced the report A Critical Review of Impacts of Greenhouse Gas Emissions on the U.S. Climate (July 2025), which downplayed the severity of anthropogenic climate change and provided justification for the February 2026 rescission of the 2009 Endangerment Finding by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Bradley’s Role
Bradley consistently cited the CWG’s work on his platforms, including IER and MasterResource, and advocated for policies informed by their report. He highlighted their analyses as evidence for repealing climate regulations and reducing restrictions on fossil fuel usage. His longstanding professional relationship with Energy Secretary Chris Wright further solidified his influence in shaping policy aligned with CWG findings.
Legal and Ethical Issues
FACA Violations
In January 2026, U.S. District Judge William G. Young ruled that the CWG violated the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), which requires transparency, balanced membership, and publicly accessible records for federal advisory committees. Findings included:
- The CWG held at least 18 secret meetings without public notice.
- Its membership was exclusively composed of climate contrarians, failing FACA’s balanced viewpoint requirement.
- DOE disbanded the CWG in September 2025 in an attempt to moot litigation by the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) and the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), but the court ruled violations were established as a matter of law.
Consequences
While the CWG report remains part of the federal record, the court deemed the process “illegal” and “dangerously slanted.” These rulings highlight significant ethical and procedural concerns about Bradley’s public promotion of CWG work and the reliance of federal policy decisions on reports produced in violation of federal law.
Key Individual Connections
- Chris Wright: As Energy Secretary, Wright convened the CWG. Bradley has a long-standing professional relationship with Wright and shares his pro-fossil fuel energy policy perspective.
- Roy Spencer & John Christy: Both climatologists are central to the CWG report and have collaborated extensively with Bradley in advocating against mainstream climate science.
- Donald J. Trump: The CWG contributed to the administration’s broader agenda of dismantling climate regulations, including dismissals of federal scientists and withdrawal from the Paris Agreement.
Bradley’s Background and Influence
Professional Roles
- Institute for Energy Research (IER): Founder and CEO since 1989. Advocates for fossil fuel use, free-market energy policies, and opposition to renewable energy subsidies.
- American Institute for Economic Research (AIER): Senior Fellow, focusing on freedom, property rights, and limited government.
- MasterResource Blog: Founder and contributor, emphasizing free-market perspectives and critiques of climate policy.
- Other Affiliations: Adjunct scholar at the Cato Institute, Competitive Enterprise Institute, and Energy and Climate Change Fellow at the Institute of Economic Affairs (London).
Academic Credentials
- B.A., Rollins College
- M.A. in Economics, University of Houston
- Ph.D. in Political Economy, International College
Publications
Bradley has authored eight books, including:
- Energy: The Master Resource (2004)
- Edison to Enron: Energy Markets and Political Strategies (2011)
- Enron Ascending (2018)
- Contra-Capitalism: Enron and Beyond (forthcoming 2026)
His works combine market-process economics with libertarian social theory and critique what he terms “political capitalism,” focusing on corporate reliance on government favors and subsidies.
Policy Positions
- Energy as a Master Resource: Emphasizes the centrality of affordable, reliable energy in driving economic growth.
- Opposition to Renewable Subsidies: Advocates elimination of wind and solar subsidies, arguing they distort markets and increase costs.
- Critique of Climate Alarmism: Frames anthropogenic climate change as a political issue rather than a catastrophic scientific threat.
- Market Reliability: Highlights economic inefficiencies in electricity markets caused by government intervention favoring intermittent sources.
Conclusion
Rob Bradley Jr. plays a central role in advocating for the Trump-era CWG and associated policies, leveraging his influence through IER, MasterResource, and professional networks with key energy and climate figures. Legal rulings demonstrate that the CWG operated in violation of federal law, raising serious ethical and procedural concerns regarding the scientific credibility of the work Bradley promotes. Bradley’s career reflects a consistent pattern of promoting fossil fuel advocacy, challenging climate regulation, and critiquing government and academic institutions’ approach to climate science.
When policy actions knowingly contradict established scientific risk assessments — especially when such actions foreseeably harm vulnerable populations and future generations — the issue moves beyond scientific consensus. It becomes a matter of legal and ethical responsibility under both domestic and international law. Individuals implicated in such decisions include Rob Bradley Jr., Roy Spencer, John Christy, Chris Wright, and Donald J. Trump.
References
- Environmental Defense Fund v. Department of Energy, U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, Case No. 1:25-cv-10234 (2026).
- U.S. District Court, Judge William G. Young, Opinion on Federal Advisory Committee Act Violations, Jan. 2026.
- Institute for Energy Research. About IER. https://www.instituteforenergyresearch.org/about/
- MasterResource Blog. https://www.masterresource.org/
- American Institute for Economic Research. AIER Fellows. https://www.aier.org/fellows/
- Roy Spencer, John Christy, Judith Curry, Steven Koonin, Ross McKitrick. A Critical Review of Impacts of Greenhouse Gas Emissions on the U.S. Climate (CWG Report, July 2025).
- The Washington Post. “Trump Administration Relies on Secret Climate Panel to Repeal EPA Regulations.” Feb. 2026.
- E&E News. “Judge Rules Trump’s Climate Working Group Violated Federal Law.” Jan. 2026.
- Bradley, Robert L., Energy: The Master Resource, 2004.
- Bradley, Robert L., Edison to Enron: Energy Markets and Political Strategies, 2011.
- Bradley, Robert L., Enron Ascending, 2018.