At a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday morning, President Donald Trump commended Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin for his plans to implement major reductions at the agency. Trump stated that these cuts would result in a 65 percent reduction of the EPA’s workforce.
However, hours later, the White House clarified the president’s remarks, stating that the 65 percent figure referred to a planned budget reduction rather than a cut to agency personnel, reports E&E News by Politico. The initial statement had caused alarm among EPA employees, as the agency is responsible for overseeing environmental regulations and ensuring clean air and water standards.
The confusion was the latest in a series of mixed messages from the administration as it pushes for significant changes in federal spending and workforce management.
“I spoke with Lee Zeldin and he thinks he’s going to be cutting 65 or so percent of the people from Environmental [Protection Agency], and we’re going to speed up the process, too,” Trump said during the meeting, which was attended by Zeldin.
Following the president’s comments, a White House spokesperson provided clarification, explaining that Trump was referencing a planned 65 percent budget cut rather than a staff reduction.
“President Trump, DOGE, and Administrator Zeldin are committed to cutting waste, fraud, and abuse across all agencies,” said White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers, referencing the Department of Government Efficiency. “After recently identifying $20 billion fraudulent in spending, Administrator Zeldin is committed to eliminating 65% of the EPA’s wasteful spending.”
The $20 billion in question refers to the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, which the Biden administration allocated for grants administered by nonprofit groups through Citibank. While the EPA has not reported any fraud under the program, it is seeking to recover the funds from the bank.
Although the White House insists the cuts will focus on budget reductions, such a significant funding decrease would likely lead to workforce downsizing. The administration has already directed federal agencies, including the EPA, to submit plans for large-scale workforce reductions by mid-March.
Earlier this month, the EPA laid off 388 employees, roughly 2.5 percent of its workforce. However, some of these employees have since been rehired, reflecting similar rehiring trends at other federal agencies where personnel were let go inadvertently.
In a statement, the EPA did not directly address Trump’s remarks but reiterated its commitment to streamlining operations.
“President Trump and EPA Administrator Zeldin are in lock step in creating a more efficient and effective federal government,” the agency said. “Compared to 2024, the total amount spent year over year at EPA will deliver significant efficiencies to American taxpayers by cutting wasteful grants, reassessing the agency’s real estate footprint, and delivering organizational improvements to the personnel structure.”
The EPA operates on an annual budget of approximately $10 billion, excluding over $100 million in additional funding from the Inflation Reduction Act and bipartisan infrastructure law.
