Former New York GOP Rep. Lee Zeldin tapped to lead Environmental Protection Agency

President-elect Donald Trump selected former Republican New York Rep. Lee Zeldin to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, both individuals confirmed on Monday.

“It is an honor to join President Trump’s Cabinet as EPA Administrator,” Zeldin wrote on X announcing his appointment. “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.”

BREAKING: Lee Zeldin has been tapped to lead the EPA under Trump’s incoming administration. pic.twitter.com/nL76eToJKC

— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) November 11, 2024

Zeldin will likely hit the ground running as the Trump administration looks to roll back the Biden EPA’s stringent regulations on gas-powered vehicles and coal and natural gas generation.

“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 in a statement. “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 served four terms in the House and was the Republican candidate in New York’s 2022 gubernatorial contest against Democratic incumbent Kathy Hochul. Zeldin came within less than 7 points of defeating Hochul in a race that was held as a historically strong performance by Zeldin’s campaign.

“I am deeply honored to have been asked by PresidenTrump 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 New York Post, which first broke the news of Zeldin’s appointment.

Trump has also picked New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik to be the next U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.

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