Trump nominates Sean Duff as Secretary of Transportation

President-elect Donald Trump has nominated Sean Duffy to serve as U.S. Secretary of Transportation for his second term. Duffy previously represented Wisconsin’s 7th district in the House from 2011 to 2019. If confirmed by the Senate, he will advise Trump on all matters related to the Department of Transportation and its agencies.

Before being elected to Congress, the 53-year-old was a district attorney in the Badger State’s Ashland County. For the last four years, Duffy has worked for Fox News as a contributor and host. The ardent supporter of Trump during his first term is the second Fox News host to gain a cabinet spot, with Pete Hegseth slated as Secretary of Defense.

Duffy’s first foray into politics was on MTV’s “The Real World: Boston,” where he had to navigate living with six other very different twentysomethings in a converted firehouse while being constantly filmed for several weeks.

The Hayward, Wisconsin native also learned more about America’s highways and byways traveling in an RV while filming “Road Rules: All Stars.” There he met his future wife (and current “Fox & Friends Weekend” host) Rachel Campos-Duffy, who was on an earlier season of “The Real World.” The couple were on the winning team and Duffy went on to appear in other MTV reality shows.

Now he’s on Trump’s winning team and will rule over not just the roads, but the rails, seas, and sky as well. His impact on commercial vehicles will come in the form of overseeing the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the Federal Highway Administration, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

According to a statement made by Trump on Nov. 18:

“[Duffy] will prioritize Excellence, Competence, Competitiveness and Beauty when rebuilding America’s highways, tunnels, bridges and airports. He will ensure our ports and dams serve our Economy without compromising our National Security, and he will make our skies safe again by eliminating DEI for pilots and air traffic controllers… Sean will use his experience and the relationships he has built over many years in Congress to maintain and rebuild our Nation’s Infrastructure, and fulfill our Mission of ushering in The Golden Age of Travel, focusing on Safety, Efficiency, and Innovation. Importantly, he will greatly elevate the Travel Experience for all Americans!"

Duffy responded on X: "Thank you, Mr. President. I’m eager to help you usher in a new golden age of transportation. #MAGA

Duffy, a former world champion lumberjack speed climber, will have his work cut out for him. Under current Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who took over in 2021, the U.S. has had to contend with a multitude of high-profile disasters. These ranged from a disruptive supply chain crisis in the wake of the COVID pandemic, a catastrophic train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio that created an ecological disaster, the partial collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge after a container ship collision, and most recently, the utter devastation in Western North Carolina following Hurricane Helene.

At the top is managing the 66,000 projects started under the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act that was passed in 2021. According to the Biden Administration, about half of those funds have been awarded for projects seeking to:

Improve 196,000 miles of roads in U.S. states and territories
Repair 11,400 bridges
Renovate and restore 580 port and waterway areas
Modernize railways and airports
Deploy 4,600 U.S.-made transit buses and 8,900 clean school buses
Expand the nation’s electricity grid
Strengthen cybersecurity

Several billion have also been allocated to clean energy and climate change mitigation projects, though it’s unlikely those Biden priorities will receive support under Trump.

What industry leaders are saying

Trucking advocacy groups have also released statements greeting the potential new secretary, who will need senate confirmation to assume the role.

American Trucking Associations’ CEO and President Chris Spear stated:

“During his time in the House, Sean Duffy was focused on issues facing our industry and supported pro-trucking policies to strengthen the supply chain and our ability to keep the nation’s goods moving safely and efficiently.

“Roads and bridges are our shop floor. We know Congressman Duffy understands that and the opportunity now before us to improve our transportation network by reducing congestion, investing in truck parking, enhancing highway safety, and supporting the development of innovative technologies. He is an exceptional choice to lead the Department of Transportation, and we congratulate him on his nomination and look forward to working with him in this role.”

Todd Spencer, president of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, said:

“OOIDA and the 150,000 small business truckers we represent congratulate Representative Sean Duffy on his nomination as Secretary of Transportation. We look forward to working with him in advancing the priorities of small business truckers across America, including expanding truck parking, fighting freight fraud, and rolling back unnecessary regulations. We encourage a swift confirmation in the Senate and look forward to working with the new administration.”

Family man

Duffy honed his mass transit and logistics expertise while raising nine children with his wife. He is also one of 11 children.

The former representative resigned from Congress a week before his ninth child was born. He had learned his unborn daughter had a heart defect and “will need even more love, time, and attention due to complications, including a heart condition,” he said at the time. Valentina, who also has Down’s syndrome, celebrated her fifth birthday on Sept. 30.