President-elect Donald Trump has appointed former Long Island Congressman Lee Zeldin as the next head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
The East Meadow-born Zeldin, who represented New York’s 1st Congressional District from 2015 to 2023, will implement Trump’s vision to gut the EPA and roll back Biden administration regulations on fossil fuel plant pollution standards and electric vehicles. Zeldin has a mixed record on the environment, though he has aligned with Trump on key issues, including in support of hydraulic fracking.
Long Ties with Trump
While in Congress, Zeldin was a Trump loyalist, projecting the president’s hardline views on immigration on Long Island, foreshadowing the red wave that would hit the region in 2022.
Zeldin distanced himself from Trump after leaving office and was rumored to be considering endorsing Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in the 2024 presidential race. However, he ended up endorsing Trump.
A Stepping Stone to Higher Office?
In 2022, Zeldin entered the New York gubernatorial race, losing to Gov. Kathy Hochul by 6.4% — the closest margin since George Pataki defeated Mario Cuomo by just over 3% in 1994.
The EPA role could serve as a brief detour for Zeldin before he potentially takes another shot at the governor’s office in 2026.
Zeldin could also join the fray of Republicans seeking to succeed the term-limited Trump in 2028. His brand of politics could help swing New York and New Jersey in Republicans’ favor in 2028.