Steve Bannon out of NSC, Rick Perry in: All you need to know about the new US energy secretary

US President Donald Trump removed chief strategist Steve Bannon from the National Security Council  on Wednesday, reversing a controversial earlier decision to give Bannon access to high-level meetings.

The development came to light when a new memorandum about the council’s composition was published in the Federal Register on Wednesday. The memo no longer listed the chief strategist as a member of the Principals Committee, a group of high-ranking officials who meet to discuss pressing national security priorities.

Following his removal, there’s been a reshuffle in the NSC constitution. The biggest name added to the council is Rick Perry, energy secretary. His nomination to the top security body gains significance as his department is also responsible for the nuclear stockpile of the United States.

Here is all you need to know about the newest member of the National Security Council.

Early life:

His website, rickperry.org chronicles his early life. Born on 4 March, 1950, Perry is the son of tenant farmers in the tiny West Texas town of Paint Creek. The younger of the two children of Ray and Amelia Perry, he was active in scouting and earned distinction as an Eagle Scout.

Academic life:

Perry was the first in his family to earn a college degree. He graduated from Texas A&M University in 1972 with a degree in animal science.

Military service:

The website states that Perry served in the US Air Force between 1972 and 1977, flying C-130 tactical airlift aircraft in Europe and the Middle East.

Political career:

Perry began his political career with the Democrats. He was elected to Texas House of Representatives in 1985 and continued to be a member of the party till 1989. That year, he shifted his loyalties to the Republican Party .

In 1991, he was chosen as the commissioner of the Texas Agriculture Department, continuing to hold the position until 1999, when he became the Lieutenant Governor of the border state.

Texas governor:

Perry is the longest serving Governor of the Southern state of Texas. Perry became the Governor in December 2000 after his predeccessor George W Bush became the US president. He continued to be the governor till January 2015.

Presidential ambitions:

Perry has taken a shot at the top job twice, once during the run-up to the 2012 polls, when he ultimately ended up supporting Newt Gingrich, and in 2015, when he backed out early and supported Ted Cruz, a fellow Texan.

Controversies:

Perry was indicted by a grand jury on charges of coercing a public servant to resign. However, he pled not guilty in the case. However, he got a major relief from Texas’ court of appeals in 2016 after it dropped charges of felony against him.

Secretary of energy:

Perry was nominated by president-elect Donald Trump to be the 14th energy secretary in December 2016. He was confirmed by the senate on 2 March, 2017, with a 62-37 vote.

With inputs from agencies