Donald Trump has announced who will be part of his team in this new administration. He will name former Congressman Lee Zeldin as head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Trump has chosen former New York Congressman Lee Zeldin to work on environmental issues, a choice that surprised many because the lawmaker has run against green laws. Once in office, he is expected to reverse administrative rules designed to reduce the burning of fossil fuels.
“Zeldin will ensure that fair and swift deregulatory decisions are made to unleash the power of American corporations while maintaining the highest environmental standards, including the cleanest air and water on the planet,” Trump said in a post on his social media platform Truth Social.
Lee Michael Zeldin (born January 30, 1980 in East Meadow, New York) is an American lawyer, politician, and officer in the United States Army Reservist.
He represented New York's 1st congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 2015 to 2023, in addition to serving as a member of the New York State Senate from the 3rd Senate District.
As a member of the Republican Party during Donald Trump's presidency, Zeldin consistently defended Trump during his first impeachment hearings in connection with the Trump-Ukraine scandal.
Zeldin announced his candidacy for governor of New York in 2022, but lost the election to current governor Kathy Hochul.
With the current appointment, Zeldin is expected to roll back Biden administration rules at the EPA, such as the burning of fossil fuels that reduces carbon emissions from power plants and vehicles. Zeldin has previously criticized New York State's decision to join California's zero-emission vehicle program that promises to end the sale of gasoline-only vehicles by 2035.
Trump's choice is controversial, as while Zeldin was in Congress, he never got involved in environmental policy issues and had a rating of just 14 percent from the League of Conservation Voters.
"Zeldin will set new standards for environmental audits and maintenance that will allow America to grow in a healthy and well-structured way," Trump said in his proposal for the potential EPA director.
For his part, Zeldin tweeted after his appointment was announced: “It is an honor to join President Trump’s Cabinet as EPA Administrator. We will restore America’s energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, and make America the global leader in AI. We will do this while protecting access to clean air and water.”
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