Donald Trump sent shock waves through the environmental world when he picked Myron Ebell, a conservative and longtime critic of climate regulations, to lead his incoming administration’s 2016 transition at EPA.
Ebell, who retired this year from his post as director of the Center for Energy and Environment at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, led the EPA transition team for several tumultuous months ahead of Trump’s inauguration.
He spoke with POLITICO’s E&E News this week in the wake of Trump’s victory in the 2024 presidential election about the chaos of that first transition, why he thinks this one will be smoother and his advice for the incoming Trump team. Ebell declined to comment on whether he’s playing any role in the current transition.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
