President-elect Donald Trump has selected former Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-N.Y.) as his next EPA administrator.
If confirmed, Zeldin will take charge of the nation’s premier environmental agency and one of the federal government’s top regulators. He will become a top player in Trump’s push to pull back environmental protections and boost energy production as well as shake up the federal workforce.
Zeldin, 44, served in the House for eight years and lost a close New York gubernatorial race in 2022 against Gov. Kathy Hochul (D). On Capitol Hill, he gained prominence as a Trump ally who defended him during his first impeachment hearings over stalled aid to Ukraine.
In Congress, Zeldin defended the Long Island Sound and was a member of the Conservative Climate Caucus, an all-Republican group focused on climate policy, and the bipartisan Climate Solutions Caucus. Nevertheless, he wasn’t considered an environmental champion and earned a lifetime score of 14 percent from the League of Conservation Voters.
Trump said in a statement that he has known the ex-representative for a long time and admired how he has handled “extremely difficult and complex situations.”
“Lee, with a very strong legal background, has been a true fighter for America First policies,” Trump said.
The president-elect added that Zeldin will embark on a deregulatory agenda to unleash industry “while at the same time maintaining the highest environmental standards, including the cleanest air and water on the planet.”
Zeldin said on social media “it is an honor to join” Trump’s Cabinet.
“We will restore US energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, and make the US the global leader of AI,” Zeldin said. “We will do so while protecting access to clean air and water.”
