Trump hints at deep cuts at the EPA, alarming workers and environmental groups

President Trump said the head of the Environmental Protection Agency is prepared to implement deep staffing and spending cuts as part of the administration’s efforts to downsize the executive branch, raising fears among employees and environmental groups about the impacts of the reductions.

“He thinks he’s going to be cutting 65 or so percent of people from Environmental,” Mr. Trump said at his first Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, referring to EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin. “You had a lot of people who weren’t doing their job. They were just obstructionists.”

A White House official later clarified that the president was referring to cutting 65% of spending at EPA, not necessarily a 65% cut in staff. Nonetheless, the remarks stoked concern among the EPA’s workforce. 

The EPA currently employs more than 15,000 people across the country who are dedicated to its core mission of protecting clean air, land and water. A main part of that mission is to enforce federal laws, like the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts, that protect the environment and human health. The agency is also instrumental in cleaning up contaminated lands and toxic sites. It recently wrapped up phase one of the hazardous debris clean-up in California following January’s devastating wildfires.

“Trump said out loud what we have suspected all along: His agenda is to demolish the EPA,” said Jeremy Symons, a senior adviser with the Environmental Protection Network, a group of more than 650 former EPA employees that was formed in 2017 to protect the integrity of the agency. “This is a wrecking ball approach that will throw the doors open to corporate polluters.”

The Office of Personnel Management and Office of Management and Budget issued guidance to the heads of all agencies across the federal government on Wednesday instructing them to submit plans to reduce the size of their workforces and streamline their operations. The memo directed agencies to submit their plans to the offices for approval by March 13. Mr. Trump’s comments about the EPA sparked confusion, given the agency has yet to submit a proposal for downsizing.

“Since this plan hasn’t even been submitted to the OPM or OMB for review [and] approval, it is unclear how President Trump could state that there would be a 65% reduction at the EPA,” said Marie Owens Powell, an EPA union president of Council 238, which represents thousands of employees across the country.

“President Trump, DOGE, and Administrator Zeldin are committed to cutting waste, fraud, and abuse across all agencies,” said White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers, referring to the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency. “After recently identifying $20 billion in fraudulent spending, Administrator Zeldin is committed to eliminating 65% of the EPA’s wasteful spending.” 

Rogers did not detail the $20 billion in allegedly fraudulent spending.

Whether it’s a 65% cut in staffing or a 65% budget cut, the impacts to the agency would be immense and hurt its ability to do its job, according to environmental organizations. 

“Slashing the staff of the EPA will open the floodgates to more air pollution, contaminated water and toxic chemicals,” said Alexandra Adams, chief policy advocacy officer at the Natural Resources Defense Council, in a statement. “Pulling the nation’s environmental stewards off the beat is great for polluters, but it’s dangerous for the health of our families. Hobbling the EPA is not about saving money, it’s about protecting President Trump’s friends in the oil industry. Congress needs to step in to help put a stop to this.”