EPA layoffs loom following ‘zero tolerance’ policy

The Trump administration could be staring down more layoffs in the contentious Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

News broke on July 3 that EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin has put dozens of staffers on forced administrative leave, as Breitbart News reported.

The notice of leave came just before Zeldin launched an investigation into the possibility that the government employees in question were actually working against the Trump administration’s energy dominance policies.

Just over 140 of the agency’s 15,000-plus staffers were put on administrative leave, pending the outcome of the investigation.

From Zeldin

The administrator spoke up in a written statement sent to reporters, outlining his agency’s unwillingness to accommodate individual crusades within the office.

“We have a ZERO tolerance policy for agency bureaucrats unlawfully undermining, sabotaging, and undercutting the agenda of this administration as voted for by the great people of this country last November,” Zeldin said.

The Trump administration official went on, saying that. “The will of the American public will not be ignored at our agency.”

Possible Wrongdoing

According to the agency’s statements about the administrative leave, some staffers were found to have exploited their titles and status to push a partisan agenda.

The EPA is said to have a zero tolerance policy concerning employees using their position to mislead the public or undermine the administration’s mandates.

Included in those mandates for this administration is the push for energy dominance, while adhering to the EPA’s other directive to keep clean air, water, and land throughout the nation.

On Zeldin

The specific violation in question had to do with a letter that featured signatures by current and former EPA employees, along with 207 anonymous figures and former Democrat political appointees, was sent, accusing Zeldin of violating the Hatch Act.

This alleged violation was perpetrated by the official discussing the tariffs in the One Big Beautiful Bill. However, similar actions were taken by Democratic Administrator Michael Regan when he promoted the Inflation Reduction Act.

As to Zeldin’s take on the event surrounding the kerfuffle, the administrator said, “The vast majority of agency employees are dedicated to the core mission of protecting human health and the environment, Powering the Great American Comeback, and respecting the will of the American people,” Zeldin continued in his statement.

“Whether at our agency headquarters in DC or spread out across America’s regions, during my travels to 22 states since confirmation, it has been a high honor to actively engage with the EPA’s talented and dedicated career staffers, answering their questions, listening to their counsel, and partnering to implement the agenda our country voted for last year.”

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