President Donald Trump will replace the sitting Republican chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission by the end of this month, a surprise move for the independent regulatory body.

Current Chairman Mark Christie said he was informed of the news through a media inquiry. 

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“I learned this evening from a media inquiry that Pres. Trump has appointed Laura Swett to replace me when my term expires,” Christie wrote in a post to X Monday evening. 

“I congratulate Laura and wish her the best,” he said. 

Christie was first appointed to FERC in January 2021 after being nominated the previous summer by Trump, during his first administration.

The Republican ascended to the chairman position earlier this year after Trump took office, taking over the seat from former commissioner Willie Phillips. 

Christie’s term is set to expire on June 30. 

On Monday, the chairman said he would remain in office for a few weeks after this date in order to help push a few key orders out of the commission. 

According to Christie, Trump intends to nominate Vinson and Elkin attorney Laura Swett to his seat. 

Swett, who specializes in energy litigation, previously served at FERC for five years under the second Obama administration and the first Trump administration. She was primarily an attorney adviser for the commission, and later worked as a senior legal and policy adviser for former commissioners Kevin McIntyre and Bernard McNamee. 

The White House did not respond to the Washington Examiner’s inquiry seeking confirmation of Swett’s appointment. 

Tributes to Christie’s service on the commission quickly flooded social media on Monday, with some criticizing the administration’s failure to inform the chairman of the news directly.  

“This is so bittersweet. I adore Laura Swett and believe she will be an excellent @ferc chair (if given the chance by OIRA and OMB),” former FERC commissioner and Trump appointee Neil Chatterjee wrote on X. 

“But @ChristieFERC is a patriot. All he did was run the agency well,” Chatterjee said. “He’s a veteran who has dedicated his life to serving America. He deserved better.” 

South Dakota Public Utilities Commissioner Chris Nelson wrote, “Mark Christie has been an exceptional FERC commissioner! His laser focus on maintaining reliability in our electricity grid is exactly the kind of leadership needed today.”

“Very disappointed in this news,” he said.

FERC is an independent agency formed in 1977 to regulate interstate transmission and wholesale prices for natural gas, oil, and electricity across the country. 

As part of its regulatory responsibilities, FERC issues orders regarding transmission planning, interconnection procedures, cost allocation, and more. It also plays a key role in the permitting process for new energy development and transmission projects. 

The commission is typically made up of five individuals, all of whom serve staggered terms of up to five years. 

Currently, though, the commission is only made up of four commissioners as Phillips, a Democrat, resigned from his post at the request of the president in April. 

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Phillips’ resignation also came as a surprise, as his term was set to expire in June 2026, and the former chairman had a history of voting alongside Republicans and in line with the administration’s agenda. 

His departure has left the commission in a 2-2 partisan split.