Trump appoints Lee Zeldin to head the EPA – and adds a second New Yorker to the Cabinet

WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump has selected former Rep. Lee Zeldin to be administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, The Post can exclusively report.

Zeldin, 44, served four terms as a Republican congressman for Long Island before losing the 2022 New York governor’s race by a surprisingly narrow margin to Kathy Hochul.

“I am deeply honored to have been asked by President Trump to serve in his Cabinet. “As EPA Administrator, we will restore U.S. energy supremacy, revitalize our automotive industry to bring back American jobs, make the United States the world leader in advancing artificial intelligence, and cut the red tape that holds American workers back from economic advancement,” Zeldin said in a statement to The Post.

“We will accomplish all of this while protecting our environment, protecting access to clean air and water, and ensuring the health of the American people. I look forward to contributing to President Trump’s agenda to build a more prosperous future for our country.”

Trump confirmed the appointment in his own statement.

“Lee, who has a very strong legal background, was a true champion of America First policies. “He will ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions, implemented in a way that unleashes the power of American companies while maintaining the highest environmental standards, including the cleanest air and water on the planet,” Trump said.

“It will set new standards for environmental assessment and maintenance that will enable the United States to grow in a healthy and well-structured manner.”

Trump added: “I have known Lee Zeldin for a long time and have watched him brilliantly navigate some extremely difficult and complex situations.” I am very proud to have him in the Trump administration, where he is quickly establishing himself as a great contributor will prove!”

Zeldin’s previous political work has included work to protect Long Island from potentially harmful dredging waste, and he will likely be greeted with less dismay by Democrats than some other potential candidates for office.

Zeldin will sit in the Cabinet alongside Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY), whom Trump announced as his UN ambassador on Sunday evening. Both Zeldin and Stefanik were part of Trump’s ceremonial defense team during his first impeachment trial in 2020.