David Fotouhi
David Fotouhi | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2025 | |
| 18th Deputy Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency | |
| Assumed office June 16, 2025 | |
| President | Donald Trump |
| Preceded by | Janet McCabe |
| Personal details | |
| Born | David Fotouhi Oklahoma, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Education | |
David Fotouhi is an American lawyer, activist, and government official serving as Deputy Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) since June 2025.[1] He previously worked in the first Donald Trump administration where he helped to roll back environmental policies and was a partner in environmental litigation at Gibson, Dunn where he represented companies in lawsuits against the EPA.[2]
Career
Fotouhi was acting general counsel in the Environmental Protection Agency during the first Donald Trump administration.[3] Fotouhi helped the administration in rolling back climate regulations and water protections.[2]
Fotouhi was a partner in environmental litigation at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP. He is also a member of the conservative legal organization The Federalist Society, and is a Republican.[4] During his time at Gibson, Dunn, Fotouhi challenged the EPA's March 2024 ban on asbestos, a known carcinogen. In a brief filed on behalf of a group of car companies, Fotouhi wrote that the "EPA failed to demonstrate that chrysotile asbestos presents an unreasonable risk of injury."[2] He also represented International Paper in relation to its use of PFAS ("forever chemicals"), as well as represented a group of businesses in Washington state that sued the EPA over its restrictions on PCB contamination in water.[2]
Fotouhi was nominated by Donald Trump to be Deputy Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency; the nomination was criticized for his perceived lack of experience. He was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on June 10, 2025, in a 53–41 party-line vote.[5] Six days later, Fotouhi was sworn in on June 16, 2025.[6]
References
- ^ US EPA, OA (June 10, 2025). "Senate Confirms David Fotouhi as President Trump's EPA Deputy Administrator". www.epa.gov. Retrieved July 20, 2025.
- ^ a b c d Lerner, Sharon (January 22, 2025). "Donald Trump's No. 2 Pick for the EPA Represented Companies Accused of Pollution Harm". ProPublica. Retrieved August 9, 2025.
- ^ Bogardus, Kevin (January 13, 2025). "Trump's EPA deputy pick is a familiar face in HQ". E&E News by POLITICO.
- ^ "David Fotouhi". The Federalist Society. July 6, 2022. Retrieved July 20, 2025.
- ^ "U.S. Senate: U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 119th Congress - 1st Session". www.senate.gov. Retrieved July 20, 2025.
- ^ Friedman, Lisa; Tabuchi, Hiroko; Davenport, Coral (January 25, 2025). "Trump Stocks E.P.A. With Oil, Gas and Chemical Lobbyists". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved March 5, 2025.