Senate confirms Zeldin to be EPA administrator

The Senate on Wednesday confirmed former Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-N.Y.) to take the helm of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

He was confirmed in a 56-42 vote.

Zeldin was a surprise pick for the EPA administrator role because during his congressional tenure, he was more well known for working on international affairs. 

But he has been a major defender of Trump, including during the president’s first impeachment in 2019. 

During his confirmation hearing, Democrats pressed Zeldin on climate change — given President Trump’s frequent dismissal of the phenomenon as a hoax. They questioned him about opinion pieces he was paid to author, including those that reportedly criticized a variety of climate actions.

Despite those tensions, Zeldin was not expected to face as tough a confirmation battle as other Trump picks such as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who was confirmed by the Senate on Friday, and Health and Human Services nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who faced tough questioning from Democrats on Wednesday.

During his confirmation hearing, Zeldin stated that he believes climate change is real, but defended Trump’s comments calling it a hoax. 

“As far as President Trump goes, the context that I have heard him speak about it was with a criticism of policies that have been enacted because of climate change,” Zeldin said earlier this month. “I think that he’s concerned about the economic cost of some policies.”