
How Trump's EPA head has transformed the agency — and sided with polluters
From Fresh Air by NPR
April 29, 2026 · 45 min
About this episode
Elizabeth Kolbert discusses the changes made by EPA chief Lee Zeldin under the Trump administration and their implications for environmental regulations.
‘New Yorker’ staff writer Elizabeth Kolbert says EPA chief Lee Zeldin has rescinded regulations, cut or eliminated departments and terminated the jobs of many scientists. Trump calls Zeldin "our secret weapon." The Pulitzer Prize-winning environmental journalist spoke with Terry Gross. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy
People in this episode
Host: Terry Gross
Guest: Elizabeth Kolbert
Topics covered
- environmental policy
- EPA regulations
- Trump administration
- pollution
- scientific integrity
Keywords
- EPA
- Lee Zeldin
- Elizabeth Kolbert
- Trump
- environmental journalism
- pollution
- regulations
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: EPA, New Yorker, NPR
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