Trump appoints former legislator and reality TV celebrity to Transportation role
Sean Duffy, a member of the Republican Party from Wisconsin, served in Congress.
TroibNews 
President-elect Donald Trump is set to nominate Sean Duffy, a former lawmaker and Fox News contributor known for his appearance on MTV’s “Real World,” as the next secretary of Transportation.
In an announcement on Truth Social, Trump commended Duffy’s connections from his time in Congress and expressed confidence in his ability to enhance the nation’s infrastructure, stating he will “greatly elevate the Travel Experience for all Americans!”
Should he be confirmed, Duffy will oversee an agency responsible for ensuring the safety of Americans across various transportation modes, including roads, rails, buses, planes, and hazardous materials. He will step into the role amid challenges like frequent near-misses on runways nationwide, aging aviation technology, and an overtaxed group of air traffic controllers.
Duffy will also be involved in the distribution of funds from the 2021 infrastructure law, which has drawn threats of cutbacks from some Republican lawmakers.
Duffy’s name had emerged as a candidate over the weekend and he was ultimately selected despite his past criticisms of Trump. In 2017, he referred to a debt ceiling agreement made by Trump with Democrats as a “bad,” “foolish” deal that “missed the target.”
Currently, Duffy co-hosts “The Bottom Line” on Fox Business. He has also made negative comments about electric vehicles on Fox News, which could create friction with Elon Musk, who has been advising Trump recently. Last year, Duffy remarked that EV trucks aren’t suited for rural driving, quoting a Ford EV truck owner who labeled them “the biggest scam of modern times.”
Nonetheless, Trump highlighted Duffy’s congressional tenure as one where he “was a respected voice and communicator in the Republican Conference,” noting his bipartisan efforts in “building the largest road and bridge project in Minnesota History.”
Duffy was elected to Congress in 2010, where he participated in the House Financial Services Committee, Budget Committee, and Joint Economic Committee. His transportation-related legislative activity while in Congress was modest, with just four bills referred to the Transportation Committee, based on a PMG evaluation of his record.
Three of those bills— pertaining to truck size limits on a Wisconsin interstate, penalties for obstructed grade crossings, and regulatory compliance issues with the EPA—failed to progress beyond committee. Another bill aimed at a national lakeshore in Wisconsin also stalled in the Senate.
Two transportation-related bills he co-sponsored became law: one involved tax provisions for a recurring surface transportation bill, while the other exempted commercial truck drivers delivering critical heating fuel during shortages from driving regulations.
After leaving Congress in 2019, Duffy became senior counsel at the Republican-affiliated lobbying firm BGR Group, which has represented clients such as Comcast and Pfizer, as well as foreign governments including Bahrain, Bangladesh, India, and South Korea. Duffy’s focus at BGR has primarily been on investment, securities, transportation, and finance sectors, as noted by OpenSecrets.
Rep. Garret Graves, who was also considered for the position, congratulated Duffy and mentioned they had been in touch via text. “Sean’s a great guy. He’s a friend,” Graves remarked, adding, “It’s crystal clear to me that the president’s got a type” when asked if Duffy was a good choice.
Duffy also surpassed Rep. Sam Graves, the chair of the House Transportation Committee, in the selection process.
Before his congressional career, Duffy gained fame on the MTV reality show “The Real World,” where his participation in lumberjack competitions was a highlight. He later served as a district attorney in Ashland, Wisconsin.
Sanya Singh contributed to this report for TROIB News
In an announcement on Truth Social, Trump commended Duffy’s connections from his time in Congress and expressed confidence in his ability to enhance the nation’s infrastructure, stating he will “greatly elevate the Travel Experience for all Americans!”
Should he be confirmed, Duffy will oversee an agency responsible for ensuring the safety of Americans across various transportation modes, including roads, rails, buses, planes, and hazardous materials. He will step into the role amid challenges like frequent near-misses on runways nationwide, aging aviation technology, and an overtaxed group of air traffic controllers.
Duffy will also be involved in the distribution of funds from the 2021 infrastructure law, which has drawn threats of cutbacks from some Republican lawmakers.
Duffy’s name had emerged as a candidate over the weekend and he was ultimately selected despite his past criticisms of Trump. In 2017, he referred to a debt ceiling agreement made by Trump with Democrats as a “bad,” “foolish” deal that “missed the target.”
Currently, Duffy co-hosts “The Bottom Line” on Fox Business. He has also made negative comments about electric vehicles on Fox News, which could create friction with Elon Musk, who has been advising Trump recently. Last year, Duffy remarked that EV trucks aren’t suited for rural driving, quoting a Ford EV truck owner who labeled them “the biggest scam of modern times.”
Nonetheless, Trump highlighted Duffy’s congressional tenure as one where he “was a respected voice and communicator in the Republican Conference,” noting his bipartisan efforts in “building the largest road and bridge project in Minnesota History.”
Duffy was elected to Congress in 2010, where he participated in the House Financial Services Committee, Budget Committee, and Joint Economic Committee. His transportation-related legislative activity while in Congress was modest, with just four bills referred to the Transportation Committee, based on a PMG evaluation of his record.
Three of those bills— pertaining to truck size limits on a Wisconsin interstate, penalties for obstructed grade crossings, and regulatory compliance issues with the EPA—failed to progress beyond committee. Another bill aimed at a national lakeshore in Wisconsin also stalled in the Senate.
Two transportation-related bills he co-sponsored became law: one involved tax provisions for a recurring surface transportation bill, while the other exempted commercial truck drivers delivering critical heating fuel during shortages from driving regulations.
After leaving Congress in 2019, Duffy became senior counsel at the Republican-affiliated lobbying firm BGR Group, which has represented clients such as Comcast and Pfizer, as well as foreign governments including Bahrain, Bangladesh, India, and South Korea. Duffy’s focus at BGR has primarily been on investment, securities, transportation, and finance sectors, as noted by OpenSecrets.
Rep. Garret Graves, who was also considered for the position, congratulated Duffy and mentioned they had been in touch via text. “Sean’s a great guy. He’s a friend,” Graves remarked, adding, “It’s crystal clear to me that the president’s got a type” when asked if Duffy was a good choice.
Duffy also surpassed Rep. Sam Graves, the chair of the House Transportation Committee, in the selection process.
Before his congressional career, Duffy gained fame on the MTV reality show “The Real World,” where his participation in lumberjack competitions was a highlight. He later served as a district attorney in Ashland, Wisconsin.
Sanya Singh contributed to this report for TROIB News
