President-elect Donald Trump announced on social media Nov. 18 that he has nominated Wisconsin-native Sean Duffy to be the secretary of transportation
Sean Duffy previously represented Wisconsin’s 7th district in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2011-2019. During his tenure he served as the chairman of the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations and was a member of the Subcommittee on Capital Markets and Government-Sponsored Enterprises; the Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit; and the Subcommittee on Insurance, Housing and Community Opportunity. Prior to his time in Congress, Duffy was appointed as the Ashland County District Attorney in 2002 and was reelected in 2004 and 2006.
“During his time in congress, Sean was a respected voice and communicator in the Republican conference, advocating for fiscal responsibility, economic growth and rural development. Admired across the aisle, Sean worked with Democrats to clear extensive legislative hurdles to build the largest road and bridge project in Minnesota history,” Trump wrote in his announcement.
After resigning from Congress in 2019 due to family matters, Duffy became a contributor for Fox News in 2022. He is now the co-host of Fox Business’ The Bottom Line while also providing political analysis across all Fox News platforms.
In his post on Truth Social announcing the nomination, Trump said Sean will “prioritize excellence, competence, competitiveness and beauty when rebuilding America’s highways, tunnels, bridges and airports.”
Industry reacts to Duffy’s nomination
Several industry associations issued statements saying they are looking forward to working together to advance public transit across the country.
“The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) and its 1,600 member organizations congratulate Sean Duffy, President-Elect Donald Trump’s nominee to serve as U.S. Secretary of Transportation.
“We look forward to working together on the critical mission to rebuild America’s transportation infrastructure, grow our economy, and drive innovation with cutting-edge technology. Our members directly employ 430,000 people and support millions of private-sector jobs across all 50 states. And public transit provides access to opportunities—jobs, education, and health care—to millions of Americans every day.
“Together, we can ensure America’s public transportation system supports economic growth, connects communities, and improves quality of life for all,” said APTA President and CEO Paul P. Skoutelas in the statement.
Community Transportation Association of America (CTAA) said it’s looking forward to working together again, reflecting on the work they did together when Duffy represented his mostly rural district in Wisconsin.
“The Community Transportation Association of America and its more than 1,300 small city, rural, tribal, paratransit and non-emergency medical transportation members look forward to engaging and working with secretary of transportation nominee Sean Duffy to ensure the safe and efficient travel of our members’ passengers. We previously worked with Mr. Duffy and his staff during his tenure in Congress serving Wisconsin’s largely rural 7th District,“ said CTAA Executive Director Scott Bogren.
The U.S. High Speed Rail Association (USHSR) also released a statement congratulating Duffy on his nomination. USHSR Co-Chair and former U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood released the following statement:
“U.S. High Speed Rail congratulates Sean Duffy on his nomination as U.S. Secretary of Transportation. We look forward to working with him to advance the progress of high-speed rail projects across the country,” said USHSR Co-chair and former U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood in the statement. “A clear majority of voters support the construction of a nationwide high-speed rail network, as more than two dozen nations have done, with China now leading the way. The American people want and deserve a high-speed rail network that reduces gridlock, creates jobs, and helps America lead the world in the 21st century.”
