Trump picks Lee Zeldin, Jewish former congressman from Long Island, to head EPA

(New York Jewish Week) - Donald Trump picked Lee Zeldin, a Jewish Republican and former congressman from New York, to lead the Environmental Protection Agency.

Trump announced Zeldin's appointment on Monday in a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, saying Zeldin "has been a true fighter for America First policies." 

"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 said.

Trump, who has called climate change a "hoax," has pledged deregulation across the federal government, something he said Zeldin would advance at the EPA. In his statement, Trump said Zeldin would pursue "fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American businesses." The incoming president also said Zeldin would work on achieving "the cleanest air and water on the planet," something Trump has long professed to prioritize. 

Zeldin seemed to indicate that he would remove barriers on fossil fuel production, and also said he would work on developing artificial intelligence capabilities. He did not elaborate on the connection between AI and the EPA. 

"It is an honor to join President Trump's Cabinet as EPA Administrator," Zeldin said on X. "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."

While in Congress, Zeldin mainly voted against environmental protection legislation. In 2022, for example, Zeldin voted against "Protecting public lands and waters across the West," a Democratic-led bill opposed by Republicans.

Describing Zeldin as "an unqualified, anti-American worker [nominee] who opposes efforts to safeguard our clean air and water," the Sierra Club noted that Zeldin voted against the Inflation Reduction Act, President Joe Biden's signature bill addressing climate change.

Zeldin represented New York's 1st Congressional District in eastern Long Island from 2015 to 2023 and gained wider name recognition in 2022 by mounting a surprisingly competitive campaign for governor of New York State. He lost to Gov. Kathy Hochul by fewer than seven points, the closest a Republican has come to leading the state since Gov. George Pataki was reelected two decades ago. 

During his 2022 election campaign, Zeldin leaned into his Jewish background to rally Orthodox communities, telling voters in Brooklyn about how his grandfather founded a synagogue and how his mother taught at a Brooklyn yeshiva. At the time, the yeshiva system was facing accusations from the media and activists that it was failing to meet the state's secular education standards, which became a top issue for Orthodox voters.

Zeldin joined the board of the Republican Jewish Coalition shortly after the gubernatorial election.

Zeldin was an avid defender of Trump while in Congress but kept a distance from Trump during the gubernatorial race in New York, where the former president was unpopular at the time.

Last year, as Trump's campaign gained steam, Zeldin endorsed him for president. 

"Our nominee in 2024 will be the 45th & 47th POTUS, Donald Trump. Our economy will be stronger, our streets will be safer, & our lives will be freer. He has my full support!" Zeldin posted on X in April 2023.

Trump announced Zeldin's appointment as his cabinet began to take shape after his election victory last week. Also on Monday, he announced that Elise Stefanik, another Republican House representative from New York, will serve as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. And he said Stephen Miller, a close adviser on immigration, would become deputy chief of staff.