NEW YORK (AP) - Sean Duffy, the newly appointed transportation secretary, is facing a significant crisis just hours after his swearing-in. Duffy, confirmed by the Senate on Tuesday, quickly became the public face of the federal government's response to a deadly plane crash at Reagan National Airport, located closest to Washington, D.C. The collision involved an Army helicopter and an American Airlines jet carrying 60 passengers and four crew members on Wednesday night while the plane was landing. The aircraft ended up careening into the frigid Potomac River, and all on board are feared dead, marking what is shaping up to be one of the deadliest air crashes in the United States in decades.
Duffy's background is quite diverse. He is a former reality TV star, lumberjack, and Republican congressman from Wisconsin. His resume includes various roles such as a lumberjack athlete, special prosecutor, and Fox News host. Duffy first gained public attention in 1997 when he appeared on MTV’s "The Real World: Boston." He met his wife, Rachel Campos-Duffy, a co-host of "Fox & Friends Weekend," on the set of MTV’s "Road Rules: All Stars" in 1998. Later, he served as a special prosecutor and district attorney of Ashland County in northern Wisconsin before being elected to Congress as part of the tea party wave in 2010.
Initially viewed as an underdog during his congressional campaign, Duffy garnered national attention with ads showcasing him dramatically chopping wood while dressed in a red flannel shirt, appealing to voters by emphasizing his lumberjack heritage. Over the nearly nine years he spent in the House, he served on the Financial Services Committee and chaired a subcommittee on insurance and housing.
After leaving Congress in 2019 to devote more time to his family, which includes nine children, Duffy transitioned to a role as a contributor to Fox News. He emerged as one of former President Donald Trump's most visible defenders on television and co-hosted “The Bottom Line” on Fox Business before being appointed to his current position in the administration. Trump's selection of Duffy for his Cabinet mirrors that of other Fox personalities, such as Pete Hegseth, the new secretary of defense.
Duffy's large family gives him a personal connection to the relatives of the crash victims. Mark Graul, a longtime Republican operative from Wisconsin, emphasized how Duffy’s empathy will play a crucial role in his response to the tragedy, noting, "When you have the size of family he has, empathy is part of the process there." Graul described Duffy as an “incredibly decent person” who truly cares about achieving success beyond mere public attention.
The Department of Transportation, which Duffy now oversees, manages the nation’s intricate and aging transportation systems, encompassing highways, railroads, and airspace while also setting safety standards for various vehicles. The department is responsible for regulating the airline industry through the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which is currently experiencing a shortage of air traffic controllers. Additionally, it includes the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), tasked with regulating automakers and setting fuel economy standards.
In his initial acts as transportation secretary, Duffy rolled back fuel mileage standards that had been instated by the Biden administration. During his confirmation hearing earlier this month, he pledged to address Boeing's safety issues while working to restore global confidence in the company. Duffy also emphasized the need to hire additional air traffic controllers to mitigate a national shortage and the intention to review diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs at the agency.
Furthermore, Duffy committed to creating federal regulations for self-driving cars to establish a uniform approach rather than relying on a patchwork of state regulations. He assured lawmakers that he would not interfere with ongoing investigations into Tesla regarding the safety of its vehicles, even as he and Elon Musk, who leads a government efficiency initiative for Trump, work towards reestablishing regulatory frameworks. The Senate confirmed Duffy with bipartisan support, resulting in a vote tally of 77-22.
