Lee Zeldin

Lee Zeldin
Born	Lee Michael Zeldin 01/30/1980
Birthplace	East Meadow, New York, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Politician, government official, attorney
Title	Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency
Known for	17th Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency; U.S. Representative for New York's 1st congressional district (2015–2023)
Spouse(s)	Diana Gidish
Children	2
Awards	Federal Cross of Merit (Germany)

Lee Michael Zeldin (born January 30, 1980) is an American politician and attorney serving as the 17th Administrator of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) since January 29, 2025. A member of the Republican Party, Zeldin represented New York's 1st congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 2015 to 2023, encompassing much of eastern Suffolk County on Long Island. Before his tenure in Congress, he served in the New York State Senate from 2011 to 2014, representing the 3rd Senate district. A U.S. Army veteran who attained the rank of lieutenant colonel in the Army Reserve, Zeldin deployed to Iraq as part of the Global War on Terrorism. He gained national prominence as a close ally of President Donald Trump, particularly during Trump's first impeachment proceedings. In 2022, Zeldin was the Republican nominee for Governor of New York, losing to incumbent Kathy Hochul but achieving the highest vote percentage for a Republican gubernatorial candidate in the state since 2002. Nominated by Trump to lead the EPA in November 2024, Zeldin was confirmed by the United States Senate and has since pursued an agenda centered on environmental deregulation, drawing both support from industry groups and criticism from environmental organizations.

Early Life

Lee Michael Zeldin was born on January 30, 1980, in East Meadow, New York, a hamlet in Nassau County on Long Island. He was raised in a Jewish family on Long Island, an identity that would later inform aspects of his political career, particularly his positions on Israel and foreign policy. His uncle, Isaiah Zeldin, was a prominent rabbi.

Zeldin grew up on Long Island and pursued both legal and military careers from an early age. He received a commission as a second lieutenant in the United States Army at the age of 18, before beginning law school, an unusually early start to a military career that would run in parallel with his civilian professional life for many years.

During his service in the U.S. Army, Zeldin served in the Military Intelligence Corps and was deployed to Tikrit, Iraq, as part of the Global War on Terrorism. His military service included work in military intelligence operations during a critical period of the Iraq War. Zeldin continued his service in the Army Reserve after returning from active duty, eventually rising to the rank of lieutenant colonel. His military background became a significant part of his political identity, informing his positions on veterans' affairs and national security throughout his subsequent political career.

Education

Zeldin attended the University at Albany, State University of New York, where he earned his undergraduate degree. He subsequently obtained his Juris Doctor from Albany Law School. While pursuing his education, Zeldin simultaneously maintained his commitment to military service, balancing his academic obligations with his duties as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army and later the Army Reserve.

Career

New York State Senate (2011–2014)

Zeldin began his career in elected office when he won a seat in the New York State Senate in 2010, representing the 3rd Senate district. He succeeded Brian X. Foley and took office on January 1, 2011. During his time in the State Senate, Zeldin focused on issues affecting Long Island residents, including opposition to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) payroll tax, which he argued placed an undue burden on small businesses and local governments in his district. Governor Andrew Cuomo ultimately signed a reduction of the MTA tax into law, a measure Zeldin had championed.

As a state senator, Zeldin also worked on veterans' issues, securing funding for pilot programs to assist veterans in New York counties. Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone credited Zeldin with efforts to establish a state-level post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) program for veterans. Additionally, Zeldin was involved in the debate over Common Core educational standards in New York, with opponents of the standards arguing that proposed adjustments did not go far enough to address their concerns.

Zeldin served in the State Senate until December 31, 2014, and was succeeded by Thomas Croci.

U.S. House of Representatives (2015–2023)

2014 Election

In 2014, Zeldin announced his candidacy for the U.S. House of Representatives in New York's 1st congressional district, challenging incumbent Democratic congressman Tim Bishop. The race was considered one of the most competitive and expensive congressional contests on Long Island that cycle. Zeldin first secured the Republican primary, holding an early lead over his competitors. He went on to defeat Bishop in the general election, flipping the seat from Democratic to Republican control.

Congressional Tenure

Zeldin was sworn in for his first term on January 3, 2015, and represented the 1st congressional district through four terms, departing on January 3, 2023. He was sworn in for his second term in January 2017.

During his time in Congress, Zeldin established himself as a close ally of President Donald Trump and a reliable Republican voice on multiple policy fronts. He served on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the House Financial Services Committee, where he engaged actively in debates over foreign policy, national security, and fiscal matters.

On foreign policy, Zeldin was a vocal advocate for a strong U.S.-Israel relationship and took hawkish positions on Iran. In 2018, he stated that the United States should be willing to decertify the Iran nuclear deal, reflecting the Trump administration's skeptical posture toward the agreement. He was also involved in discussions around the potential relocation of the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, a policy position that aligned with the Trump administration's eventual decision to move the embassy.

On domestic fiscal policy, Zeldin notably broke with his party on the 2017 Republican tax bill, expressing opposition due to concerns about its impact on his Long Island constituents, particularly regarding the limitation of state and local tax (SALT) deductions. New York residents, who pay comparatively high state and local taxes, stood to lose significant deductions under the proposed legislation. This positioned Zeldin as one of a handful of Republican members from high-tax states who dissented from the party's flagship legislative achievement during Trump's first term.

Zeldin gained significant national attention during the first impeachment proceedings against President Trump in 2019, which centered on the Trump–Ukraine scandal. Zeldin prominently defended Trump throughout the hearings, becoming one of the president's most visible congressional allies during the proceedings. His defense of the president helped solidify his standing within the Republican Party and with the Trump political apparatus.

Zeldin voted against the Equality Act (H.R. 5) during the 116th Congress, a bill that sought to amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.

His successor in representing New York's 1st congressional district was Nick LaLota, who took office on January 3, 2023.

2022 Gubernatorial Campaign

After announcing he would not seek re-election to Congress, Zeldin entered the 2022 Republican primary for Governor of New York. He defeated three challengers in the primary to secure the nominations of both the Republican Party and the Conservative Party. The general election pitted Zeldin against incumbent Governor Kathy Hochul, who had assumed office following the resignation of Andrew Cuomo in 2021.

Zeldin's campaign focused heavily on public safety and crime, issues that resonated with voters concerned about rising crime rates in New York. He also campaigned on economic issues and opposition to pandemic-era restrictions. Despite running in a state with a significant Democratic voter registration advantage, Zeldin ran a competitive race. He ultimately lost to Hochul, but his performance was notable: he received the highest percentage of the vote for a Republican gubernatorial nominee in New York since George Pataki's 2002 re-election campaign, and the highest raw vote total for a Republican gubernatorial nominee in the state since 1970. The strong showing was interpreted by political analysts as evidence of Republican competitiveness in parts of New York, particularly on Long Island and in suburban areas.

EPA Administrator (2025–present)

Nomination and Confirmation

In November 2024, President-elect Donald Trump nominated Zeldin to serve as Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency as part of his incoming administration. The nomination was notable in that Zeldin did not have an extensive background in environmental policy during his time in Congress. He was confirmed by the United States Senate and sworn in as the 17th EPA Administrator on January 29, 2025, succeeding Michael S. Regan, who had served under President Joe Biden. David Fotouhi was named as his deputy administrator.

Deregulatory Agenda

Upon taking office, Zeldin pursued an aggressive deregulatory agenda that the EPA characterized as historic in scope. In a joint announcement with President Trump, Zeldin presented what the administration described as the "single largest deregulatory action in U.S. history," targeting a range of environmental regulations enacted during the Biden administration. The rollbacks targeted rules aimed at reducing emissions from power plants, preventing pollution of waterways, and enforcing Biden-era restrictions on harmful chemicals.

In November 2025, Zeldin toured ExxonMobil's advanced recycling operations at the company's facility in Baytown, Texas, where he observed technology designed to transform plastic waste through chemical recycling processes.

In February 2026, Zeldin visited San Diego County to discuss the ongoing Tijuana River sewage crisis with local politicians and business owners in Coronado. The cross-border sewage issue had been a longstanding environmental and public health concern for the region.

Advisory Committee Appointments

In March 2026, Zeldin announced the selection of new members to the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC), an influential body charged with advising the EPA on air quality standards. The appointments drew attention from observers who noted that Zeldin's selections skipped over academic scientists in favor of other candidates for the advisory panel.

Criticism

Zeldin's tenure at the EPA has drawn substantial criticism from environmental advocacy organizations. The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) published a report characterizing his first year as "a year of betrayal," asserting that Zeldin had directed the agency to serve the interests of polluters at the expense of public health. Waterkeeper Alliance raised concerns about Zeldin's handling of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a class of chemicals linked to health risks, arguing that his policies were insufficient to protect communities from PFAS contamination in drinking water and other sources.

Personal Life

Lee Zeldin is married to Diana Gidish, and the couple has two children. The family resided on Long Island during his years in the New York State Senate and U.S. House of Representatives.

Zeldin is Jewish, one of a small number of Jewish Republicans to have served in the U.S. Congress in recent decades. His Jewish identity has been a notable aspect of his public profile, and he has spoken about it in the context of his advocacy for U.S.-Israel relations and combating antisemitism.

As a veteran, Zeldin served in the United States Army and the Army Reserve, reaching the rank of lieutenant colonel. He served in the Military Intelligence Corps and was deployed to Iraq during the Global War on Terrorism. His military service has been a recurring element of his political campaigns and public persona.

Recognition

Zeldin's strong performance in the 2022 New York gubernatorial race, in which he received the highest percentage of the vote for a Republican gubernatorial nominee since 2002 and the highest raw vote total since 1970, was noted by political commentators as a significant achievement for the Republican Party in a state that has trended Democratic in statewide elections for decades.

His appointment as EPA Administrator in 2025 represented one of the most prominent Cabinet-level positions held by a former Long Island member of Congress in recent years. The nomination reflected his close relationship with President Trump and his standing within the Republican Party following his gubernatorial campaign.

Zeldin's military service earned him recognition during his career, and his status as one of the few Jewish Republican members of Congress gave him a distinctive profile within the party. He received the Federal Cross of Merit from the Federal Republic of Germany for his service.