Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez would love to be in Lee Zeldin’s position right now.
There’s no doubt the enviro-extremist Congresswoman believes she’s better suited to run EPA than her Empire State colleague from the other side of the political aisle.
And now Zeldin has announced new plans that have AOC throwing a tantrum.
Lee Zeldin plays it cool while in the hot seat
The President-elect’s cabinet members are having their day in court – in the form of confirmation hearings in front of the U.S. Senate.
Of course, Donald Trump-resisting Democrats in the upper chamber are using this as an opportunity to grandstand.
The latest to get his turn is former New York Congressman and gubernatorial candidate Lee Zeldin.
The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee held confirmation hearings for Zeldin, who is Trump’s nominee to be the next Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Trump EPA nominee Lee Zeldin: “We can, and we must, protect our precious environment without suffocating the economy.” pic.twitter.com/VauM4wwGME
— Abigail Jackson 🇺🇸 (@abigailmarone) January 16, 2025
Zeldin made a name for himself by turning what was supposed to be a cruise to re-election for Governor Kathy Hochul (D-NY) into a close and competitive contest.
The New York Republican did so largely by running as a crime and punishment candidate focusing primarily on rising crime in his home state.
With Zeldin’s brand being that of a crime fighter, Trump’s selection of the EPA for the underdog New Yorker was a bit puzzling at first.
However, Zeldin’s testimony during his Senate confirmation hearing put some of the pieces together.
Zeldin to take the EPA in a new direction
For any other President, the mission of the EPA and its director is the development and enforcement of, oftentimes draconian, regulations to protect the environment.
In more recent years, the job has devolved to catering to the supposed “climate change” radicals and PETA fanatics.
But that’s not how Trump and Zeldin envision the agency of the director’s position.
Instead, Zeldin wants to balance environmental concerns with economic ones.
“Our mission is simple but essential: To protect human health and the environment. We must do everything in our power to harness the greatness of American innovation with the greatness of American conservation and environmental stewardship,” Zeldin said in his opening statement. “We must ensure we are protecting our environment, while also protecting our economy.
Zeldin added that Americans elected Trump because they want to see his economic policies advanced.
“The American people elected President Trump last November in part due to serious concerns about upward economic mobility and their struggle to make ends meet,” Zeldin continued. “Too many of our fellow Americans are trapped in poverty and desperate for a whole-of-government approach to give them a hand up. We can, and we must protect our precious environment without suffocating the economy. A big part of this will require building private sector collaboration to promote common sense, smart regulation that will allow American innovation to continue to lead the world.”
The Energy Protection Agency?
And part of that innovation will be restoring American energy independence.
After Trump initially nominated Zeldin, the former Congressman promised to put energy policies front and center of the agency.
“We will restore American energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, make the United States the global leader of Artificial Intelligence advancement, and slash the red tape holding back American workers from upward economic mobility,” Zeldin said at the time.
The 45th and soon-to-be 47th President of the United States seconds that notion.
He said as much when he nominated Zeldin to run the EPA.
“Lee, with a very strong legal background, has been a true fighter for America First policies,” Trump said at the time. “He will ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American businesses, while at the same time maintaining the highest environmental standards, including the cleanest air and water on the planet.”
A further clue to how Zeldin will lead at the EPA can be found in his campaign against Hochul.
On the campaign trail, Zeldin often spoke about his desire to reverse New York’s fracking ban.
And that would make AOC absolutely livid!