President-elect Donald Trump on Monday named former congressman and Fox Business host Sean Duffy as his pick for transportation secretary in the next administration.
Duffy is the second Fox host to be tapped for a Cabinet post after Trump said last week that he would nominate Fox News personality Pete Hegseth to lead the Defense Department. Hegseth left Fox News after Trump’s announcement.
In a statement announcing Duffy, Trump described the Wisconsin Republican as a “a tremendous and well-liked public servant.”
“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,” Trump said.
Trump said that Duffy would use his past experience 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 “will make our skies safe again by eliminating DEI for pilots and air traffic controllers,” Trump added, referring to “diversity, equity and inclusion” programs.
The transportation post requires Senate confirmation.
In a statement Monday, Fox praised Duffy for providing “valuable insights and analysis” while co-hosting “The Bottom Line,” and said that he was parting ways with Fox News Media “effective today.”
Duffy, 53, served in the House from 2011 to 2019 and was a member of the Financial Services Committee and the chairman of a subcommittee on oversight and investigations. He left Congress in September 2019 after saying he learned that his child would be born with a heart condition.
Before he was elected to the House, Duffy served as special prosecutor in Ashland, Wisconsin, and later as district attorney for Ashland County.
Duffy first gained attention after appearing on “The Real World: Boston,” a reality TV series on MTV, in 1997. He is married to Rachel Campos-Duffy, who also starred in the “Real World” series, in 1994.
