Former Republican Congressman, reality TV figure, ESPN color commentator, professional lumberjack athlete and Fox Business co-host Sean Duffy is the President-elect’s pick for United States Secretary of Transportation.
Duffy, 53, served in the House of Representatives from 2011 to 2019, representing Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District and serving as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations and on the House Committee on Financial Services. He most recently was co-host of The Bottom Line on Fox Business, resigning from that position Nov. 12. He joined Fox News as a contributor in 2020. Duffy’s wife, Rachel Campos-Duffy, is co-host of Fox & Friends Weekend, where she worked alongside Pete Hegseth, the President-elect’s Defense Secretary pick.
The President-elect, in a statement that made no mention of rail transportation, praised Duffy as a “tremendous and well-liked public servant” and “a respected voice and communicator in the Republican Conference. 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 (diversity, equity, and inclusion) for pilots and air traffic controllers.”
Much like current SECDOT Pete Buttigieg, Duffy brings little to no practical or professional transportation experience to the job.
“If confirmed by the Senate, [Duffy] would oversee projects that involve companies run by Elon Musk, a close ally [of the President-elect] who has been tapped … to lead a new Department of Government Efficiency,” CNN reported on Nov. 18. “Musk’s companies have billions of dollars in contracts with the federal government across a number of agencies, including the Department of Transportation.”
CNN also noted that 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 … Before running for Congress, Duffy served as district attorney of Ashland County, Wisc., 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 … Presidential powers to impose tariffs—something [the President-elect] has vowed to do … The bill was disregarded by his fellow Republicans at the time but earned him praise from [the President-elect] … 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.”
“The Association of American Railroads congratulates former Congressman Sean Duffy on his nomination to lead the U.S. Department of Transportation,” said AAR President and CEO Ian Jefferies. “We look forward to working with Secretary-Designee Duffy upon his confirmation, focusing on shared priorities essential to our nation’s success: ensuring safe, efficient transportation that reduces costs, bolsters domestic manufacturing, and enhances competitiveness. Freight railroads are committed to partnering with the incoming Administration and USDOT to improve safety and strengthen supply chains nationwide.”
