Trump picks former congressman and Fox Business host Sean Duffy as next Transportation secretary

By: CNN

Posted: Nov 19, 2024 10:18 AM CST
Updated: Nov 19, 2024 10:40 AM CST

Mary F. Calvert/Reuters via CNN Newsource

By Kate Sullivan and Alexandra Skores

(CNN) — President-elect Donald Trump announced Monday he has selected former congressman and recent Fox Business co-host Sean Duffy to serve as the next secretary of the Department of Transportation.

Duffy served in the US House of Representatives from 2011 to 2019, representing Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District. He most recently was co-host of Fox Business’ “The Bottom Line,” after first joining Fox News as a contributor in 2020.

Duffy’s last day as a Fox News employee was Monday, a network spokesperson confirmed to CNN. Wednesday marked his last day appearing on Fox Business, and he interviewed for the role of transportation secretary later in the week, according to a source.

Trump in a statement praised Duffy as a “tremendous and well-liked public servant” and said he was “a respected voice and communicator in the Republican Conference” during his time in Congress.

“He 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,” Trump said.

Duffy, who served as chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations and on the House Committee on Financial Services during his time in Congress, has little to no experience in the transportation field.

If confirmed by the Senate, he would oversee projects that involve companies run by Elon Musk, a close Trump ally who has been tapped by the president-elect to lead a new Department of Government Efficiency. Musk’s companies have billions of dollars in contracts with the federal government across a number of agencies, including the Department of Transportation.

The new leader of the department will face a number of safety-related issues regarding aviation, including plane manufacturer Boeing’s string of quality control and manufacturing issues. There are also airline labor union strike threats and climate-focused initiatives like electric vehicles and charging stations that are likely to be on his desk in the coming years.

Established in 1966, the Department of Transportation has nearly 55,000 workers and leads the country’s safety, sustainability and efficiency efforts with regard to all forms of travel and transport.

In the role, Duffy would takeover the department from Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who was named to lead the department in February 2021. During Trump’s first administration, Elaine Chao headed the agency before resigning after the January 6, 2021, insurrection.

Duffy initially found fame appearing on MTV’s “The Real World: Boston” in 1997. The following year, he competed in the network’s reality competition “Road Rules: All Stars” where he met the woman he would marry, “The Real World: San Francisco” cast member Rachel Campos. Campos-Duffy is the co-host of “Fox & Friends Weekend,” where she worked for years alongside Pete Hegseth, Trump’s pick for defense secretary.

Before running for Congress, Duffy served as district attorney of Ashland County, Wisconsin, from 2002 to 2008. He is also formerly a professional lumberjack athlete and ESPN color commentator.

As a congressman, Duffy introduced a bill that would have expanded Trump’s presidential powers to impose tariffs — something Trump has vowed to do in his next term. The bill was disregarded by his fellow Republicans at the time but earned him praise from Trump.

Duffy resigned his congressional seat in 2019, saying in a statement at the time that he wanted to spend more time with his family ahead of the birth of his ninth child and that there had been complications with his wife’s pregnancy.

Prior to joining Fox News, Duffy was a CNN political commentator. He also joined lobbying firm BGR Group – which has represented clients in defense services, automotive and air transport industries – in 2019 as senior counsel, according to Open Secrets. Duffy’s represented industries were securities, transportation, finance, accountants and electronics manufacturing, according to Open Secrets. BGR Public Relations President Jeff Birnbaum told CNN that Duffy was on the company’s advisory board and not an employee, and that Duffy provided “strategic advisory work only” and not lobbying.

Duffy resigned from the advisory board effective at the time of the announcement of his pick to be the Transportation secretary nominee, BGR said.

This headline and story have been updated with additional details.

CNN’s Brian Stelter and Lisa Respers France contributed to this report.