EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin told Newsmax on Thursday that "it's crazy" that the Biden administration awarded $20 billion in clean-energy grants to non-governmental organizations and said it was willing to blow billions in "the name of environmental justice."
In a video posted on X, Zeldin mentioned "an extremely disturbing video" that features a Biden EPA staffer saying that the administration was "tossing gold bars off the Titanic" – essentially spending billions of taxpayer dollars before President Donald Trump took office.
"Never in EPA history has anything like this ever happened," Zeldin said on "Carl Higbie FRONTLINE." "And there was a decision to park $20 billion of tax dollars at a bank just outside of government to lessen the amount of oversight that government has over the funds, to give it to eight different entities – not like $20 billion on 40,000 different entities; we're talking about eight entities – and then those entities are distributing the funds. You're getting further and further removed with less government accountability."
Zeldin was referring to a still-emerging "green bank" that is poised to fund tens of thousands of projects aimed at promoting environmental justice and fighting climate change. He told Newsmax that "the money needs to be at EPA."
"It needs to be with the government," he said. "It needs to be with the American taxpayer. I, as the administrator of EPA, have to have the ability to go before Congress and account for these funds. So, when the video came out that you all know about, a couple months ago, Biden EPA political appointees saying that they were tossing these gold bars off the Titanic, I was going through my confirmation hearing. And part of that process, you meet individually with senators. They were all concerned about it.
"They wanted my commitment, if confirmed, as soon as you get there, will you make it a top priority to get to the bottom of where these gold bars are?" he said. "We found the gold bars. Now we want to bring them back into control of government. And whether it's $20 billion … or it's finding some way to save $100,000, none of this is our money in government. It is the people's money. It is our duty to have zero tolerance for any waste and abuse."
According to Zeldin, during former President Joe Biden's term, the EPA gave $160 million up front to a Canadian electric vehicle company to make school buses.
"They delivered $65 million worth of the school buses," he said. "They still have not delivered $95 million of school buses to 55 school districts. What has happened in the meantime? They declared bankruptcy. $95 million still not delivered that that company has already received and they've filed for bankruptcy and they're not even an American company."
Zeldin said that incidents like the one involving the school buses are what "President Trump has been so outspoken about when he talks about climate hoax."
"Water, air that is safer, healthier, cleaner, [that's] President Trump's goal, that's my goal," he said. "But in the name of environmental justice, in the name of climate equity, they will distribute tens of billions, hundreds of billions of dollars of your tax dollars … and they will spend it recklessly where they are willing to just toss billions of dollars off the Titanic. And who cares what happens next?"
About NEWSMAX TV:
NEWSMAX is the fastest-growing cable news channel in America!
- Find Newsmax channel in your home via cable and satellite systems – More Info Here
- Watch Newsmax+ on your home TV app or smartphone and watch it anywhere! Try it for FREE – See More Here: NewsmaxPlus.com
Nicole Weatherholtz ✉
Nicole Weatherholtz, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.