‘We Will Restore American Energy Dominance’: Trump Taps Lee Zeldin To Lead EPA

President-elect Donald Trump is adding to his cabinet on Monday, selecting former Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-NY) to run the Environmental Protection Agency, the New York Post reported.

The 44-year-old former congressman has a background in military and law, serving in the U.S. Army and Military Intelligence Corps. before becoming an attorney for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Zeldin also ran for New York governor in 2022, narrowly losing to Democrat Gov. Kathy Hochul.

Trump confirmed the appointment in a statement to the New York Post, saying, “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.”

Zeldin said he is “deeply honored” to serve in Trump’s cabinet, vowing, “As EPA Administrator, we will restore American energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, make the United States the global leader of Artificial Intelligence advancement, and slash the red tape holding back American workers from upward economic mobility.”

“We will accomplish all this while conserving our environment, protecting access to clean air and water, and keeping the American people healthy. I look forward to contributing to President Trump’s agenda to build a more prosperous future for our nation,” Zeldin added.

It is an honor to join President Trump’s Cabinet as EPA Administrator.

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. https://t.co/FQk9XPdgcw

— Lee Zeldin (@LeeMZeldin) November 11, 2024

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Zeldin is the second New Yorker to be named to Trump’s cabinet after Republican Congresswoman Elise Stefanik accepted the president-elect’s offer to serve as the next U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Both Zeldin and Stefanik served on Trump’s defense team during his first impeachment trial.

“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!”