WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump has selected former Rep. Lee Zeldin to serve as administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, The Post can exclusively report.
Zeldin, 44, served four terms as a Republican congressman repping Long Island before losing the 2022 New York governor’s race to Kathy Hochul by a surprisingly close margin.
“I am deeply honored to have been asked by President Trump to serve in his Cabinet. 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,” Zeldin said in a statement to The Post.
“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.”
Trump confirmed the appointment in his own 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,” Trump said.
“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!”
Zeldin’s prior political work included working to shield Long Island from potentially harmful dredge waste and he’s likely to be greeted with less horror by Democrats than some other potential nominees for the post.
Zeldin will serve in the Cabinet alongside Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY), whom Trump announced Sunday night as his UN ambassador. Both Zeldin and Stefanik served on Trump’s ceremonial defense team during his first impeachment trial in 2020.
