President-elect Donald Trump has chosen former New York Rep. Lee Zeldin (R) to lead the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
In a statement, Trump highlighted how Zeldin has a “very strong legal background” and had been a “true fighter for America First policies.”
Trump added that he had known Zeldin “for a long time,” and that he had seen Zeldin navigate some “extremely difficult and complex situations.”
“As the 45th & 47th President of the United States, I am pleased to announce that the Highly Respected former Congressman from New York, Lee Zeldin will be appointed to serve as The Administrator of The United States Environmental Protective Agency (EPA),” Trump said in his statement. “Lee, with a very strong legal background, has been a true fighter for America First policies. 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.”
“He will set new standards on environmental review and maintenance, that will allow the United States to grow in a healthy and well-structured way,” Trump added. “I have known Lee Zeldin for a long time, and have watched him handle, brilliantly, some extremely difficult and complex situations. I am very proud to have him in the Trump Administration, where he will quickly prove to be a great contributor.”
In a post on X, Zeldin responded to the news that he was joining “Trump’s Cabinet as EPA Administrator,” noting that they would be restoring “US energy dominance,” and would “revitalize” the nation’s auto industry.
“It is an honor to join President Trump’s Cabinet as EPA Administrator,” Zeldin wrote in his post. “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.”
The announcement of Zeldin joining Trump’s cabinet comes after it was announced that House Conference Chair Elise Stefanik (R-NY) was chosen to join Trump’s cabinet as the Ambassador to the United Nations.
