The EPA administrator, a former New York congressman whose appointment initially surprised many in Washington, has since turned that moment into a template for survival.
Three of Trump’s Cabinet members have resigned in the past two months, and rumors continue to swirl about who might be next. Attorney General Pam Bondi was pushed out in early April after the president grew frustrated with her unsuccessful efforts to prosecute his political adversaries. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was reassigned in March to a newly created role as Trump’s special envoy for the Shield of the Americas. Former Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer resigned Monday amid multiple allegations of misconduct, and Navy Secretary John Phelan stepped down this week as a naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz continues.
Other high-ranking officials are rumored to be on thin ice, including FBI Director Kash Patel and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. But the speculation surrounding Zeldin has taken a different tone, focusing instead on potential promotions to higher-profile roles, including a possible nomination for attorney general.
A Simple Formula for Survival
“The president set a pretty clear agenda for EPA, and he has executed on it,” said Joseph Brazauskas, who led the agency’s congressional and intergovernmental relations office during Trump’s first term and is now a partner at Bracewell. “And I think the president noticed that.”
In his year at the agency, Zeldin has delivered a slate of rapid regulatory rollbacks while stoking conservative approval through social media and frequent appearances on right-leaning outlets. The endangerment finding repeal, which ripped out the underpinnings of federal climate regulations, stands as his marquee achievement and a clear signal of his alignment with the president’s priorities.
Zeldin’s stability stands in sharp contrast to the turbulence elsewhere in the administration. While his colleagues have fallen to political missteps, ethics allegations or simple presidential displeasure, the EPA chief has leveraged his unexpected appointment into what allies describe as one of the most secure positions in the Cabinet.
