‘We laugh a lot about it’: Trump cabinet officials make fun of Rick Perry’s ignorance about nuclear arsenal

Rick Perry was surprised to learn that his job as secretary of energy would place him in charge of the U.S. nuclear arsenal, and his fellow cabinet members like to tease him about it.

The former Texas governor accepted the nomination reportedly believing he would be “a global ambassador for the American oil and gas industry" as head of the Department of Energy, which he proposed abolishing during his 2012 presidential campaign.

Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke told GQ that he's become close friends with Perry while serving under President Donald Trump, and he's poked fun at his fellow Cabinet member's reported ignorance.

"Secretary Perry is a wonderful guy," Zinke told the magazine. "I think he thought his department was more about energy than … science. Mostly, it's science and, of course, they also have responsibility of our nuclear arsenal."

Zinke said Perry apparently confused the Department of Energy with the Department of Interior when accepting the job.

"Interior is the one that produces energy," Zinke said. "We laugh a lot about it."