Trump Taps Former Rep. Lee Zeldin as Head of EPA

Zeldin, who represented New York’s 1st Congressional District from 2015 to 2023, has accepted the position.

Former Rep. Lee Zeldin speaks on stage on the third day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wis., on July 17, 2024. Leon Neal/Getty Images

Former Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-N.Y.) will join the second administration of President-elect Donald Trump as head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Trump announced on Nov. 11.

“Lee, with a very strong legal background, has been a true fighter for America First policies,” Trump told The Epoch Times in an emailed statement. “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.”