Edward Russo, the chairman of the White House Environmental Advisory Task Force, has publicly presented President Trump as a proponent of environmental protection, despite the administration's record of relaxing pollution regulations. Russo, 80, the sole member of the task force, asserted at a March gala in Washington that President Trump aims to be "the greatest environmental president since Teddy Roosevelt." This statement followed by approximately a month the government's decision to ease limits on toxic emissions from coal plants.
Speaking at the Trump-Kennedy Center during an event celebrating the America the Beautiful Foundation, Russo highlighted what he described as overlooked conservation efforts by President Trump. He referenced a 2022 private conservation easement at the Trump National Doral Golf Club, where Mr. Trump received a tax incentive for agreeing not to develop the property, suggesting it warranted recognition from environmental groups. White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers defended Russo’s work and the administration’s environmental record, crediting him with leading initiatives that create jobs and protect natural resources.
However, critics broadly dispute Russo's characterization. Loren Blackford, executive director of the Sierra Club, described Russo's claims as "greenwashing," noting his past role as an environmental compliance consultant for the Trump Organization's golf courses and his self-published book, "Donald J. Trump: An Environmental Hero." Blackford stated that the Trump administration's actions mark it as "the most anti-environment administration in American history" due to its rollbacks of numerous air, land, water, and climate protections. Dean Naujoks of the Potomac Riverkeeper Network also criticized the Trump National Golf Club in Virginia for felling trees along the Potomac River in 2019.
Russo's supporters, including Barry Wray of the Florida Keys Environmental Coalition, credit him with influencing certain pro-environmental actions. They point to an agreement reached in July to prevent raw sewage from flowing from the Tijuana River into California, which EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin and Mexico’s environment secretary signed after Russo's involvement. Russo was appointed to lead the Environmental Advisory Task Force in January 2025 and also serves as a senior adviser to EPA Administrator Zeldin, with both positions being unpaid.
Russo's engagement with Mr. Trump began in 2001 when he was hired to manage sustainability at Trump National Golf Club Bedminster following a disagreement over environmental compliance. Ethical questions arose in 2018 when WaterGen USA, a company Russo then helmed, secured a research agreement with the EPA after Russo discussed the technology with Mr. Trump. A watchdog group, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, deemed this arrangement "a bad look," though likely not illegal.
Notably, Russo’s stated priorities exclude climate change, an issue President Trump has previously dismissed as a "con job." While Russo acknowledges global warming, he contends that the environmental movement's emphasis on it diverts attention from other critical issues, such as clean water. He primarily works remotely from Florida and Kentucky, minimizing visits to Washington.