Lee Zeldin

Biography

Lee Michael Zeldin (born January 30, 1980) is an American attorney, politician, and former Army intelligence officer who has been serving as the 17th administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) since January 29, 2025. A member of the Republican Party, he represented New York's 1st congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 2015 to 2023. From 2011 to 2014, Zeldin served as a member of the New York State Senate from the 3rd Senate district. A close ally of President Donald Trump, Zeldin prominently defended Trump during his first impeachment hearings concerning the Trump–Ukraine scandal. In April 2021, Zeldin announced his candidacy for Governor of New York in 2022. He defeated three challengers in the Republican primary, becoming the nominee of the Republican Party and the Conservative Party. Zeldin lost the election to incumbent governor Kathy Hochul while receiving the highest percentage of the vote for a Republican gubernatorial nominee since 2002 and the highest raw vote total for a Republican gubernatorial nominee since 1970. In November 2024, Zeldin was nominated for Administrator of the EPA as part of the second administration of President Donald Trump. He was confirmed by the Senate and sworn in on January 29, 2025. During his tenure at the EPA, Zeldin has reframed the purpose of the agency and pushed for substantial environmental deregulation.