EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin told Newsmax that President Donald Trump’s push for energy and resource dominance is bringing the U.S. closer to refining its own rare-earth minerals — ending dependence on China and strengthening both the economy and national security.
Appearing Monday on “Rob Schmitt Tonight,” Zeldin said the Environmental Protection Agency is focused on cutting red tape and coordinating with other federal departments to fast-track critical mining and refining projects.
“EPA has the tools to really slow things down — and the ability to really speed things up,” Zeldin said. “President Trump has been emphasizing the need for speed. This is an issue related to national security, with economic and environmental advantages.”
Zeldin credited Trump for creating the National Energy Dominance Council, which unites the EPA, Interior, Energy, and Commerce departments to streamline approvals and move projects forward quickly.
“Instead of us being siloed off, we’re collaborating,” Zeldin said. “We’re meeting directly with the president. Our teams are working with each other every single day.”
He said the administration’s goal is clear — to make sure the U.S. can refine its own rare earths rather than relying on Beijing.
“We need to do this work here in the United States and feel great about it,” he said.
“There’s a process for refining. There’s remediation work and considerations. There’s permits that are involved in this process. And we should be talking about ways to continue to innovate, to be able to tap into these resources better.”
Zeldin said Trump’s EPA rejects the false choice between environmental protection and economic growth.
“This is one of the biggest differences between the Trump EPA and our predecessors,” he said. “We choose to protect the environment and grow the economy. It’s not a binary choice — we choose both.”
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