President-elect Donald Trump has announced his selection of former New York Congressman Lee Zeldin to serve as the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The move, which comes less than a week after Trump’s election victory, marks the beginning of his administration’s efforts to reshape federal environmental policy.
In a statement released on Monday, Trump praised Zeldin’s background as a lawyer and his long-standing commitment to “America First” policies. “Lee, with a very strong legal background, has been a true fighter for America First policies,” Trump said. “He will ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American businesses, while at the same time maintaining the highest environmental standards, including the cleanest air and water on the planet.”
Zeldin, who represented Long Island’s Suffolk County in the House of Representatives from 2015 to 2023, responded to the news on social media, expressing his gratitude for the opportunity. “It is an honor to join President Trump’s Cabinet as EPA Administrator,” he wrote. “We will restore US energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, and make the US the global leader of AI. We will do so while protecting access to clean air and water.”
Zeldin’s appointment to the EPA will require Senate confirmation, but with Republicans poised to take control of the chamber in the upcoming session, his nomination is expected to face a smoother path than it would have under a Democratic majority.
During his time in Congress, Zeldin developed a reputation as a staunch conservative, often voting against legislation favored by environmental advocacy groups. He received a lifetime score of just 14% from the League of Conservation Voters, a national environmental advocacy organization. Zeldin’s opposition to climate-related legislation, including Biden’s 2022 climate law and the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law, has raised concerns among environmentalists about the direction of the EPA under his leadership.
In a Fox News interview shortly after the announcement, Zeldin outlined his priorities for the agency, emphasizing the need to rollback regulations that he believes are harming American businesses. “So day one and the first 100 days, we have the opportunity to roll back regulations that are forcing businesses to struggle,” he said. “There are regulations that the left wing of this country have been advocating through regulatory power that ends up causing businesses to go in the wrong direction.”
Despite his conservative record, Zeldin insisted that protecting the environment remains a priority for him and the Trump administration. “President Trump cares about conserving the environment, as you just mentioned in that statement from him,” he said. “His desire to ensure access to clean air, clean water, it was a top priority.”
Zeldin’s appointment to the EPA is just one of several key staffing announcements Trump has made in recent days as he begins to assemble his second-term administration. Last week, he named Susie Wiles, his campaign manager, as White House chief of staff, and on Sunday, he announced that former Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director Tom Homan would serve as his “border czar.”
Trump’s selection of Zeldin has been met with criticism from environmental groups, who argue that his record and views on climate change make him unsuitable for the role. Ben Jealous, executive director of the Sierra Club, described Zeldin as “unqualified” and said that his appointment “lays bare Donald Trump’s intentions to, once again, sell our health, our communities, our jobs, and our future out to corporate polluters.”