Sean Duffy
Secretary of the Department of Transportation
Doug Burgum, appointed by President Donald Trump as Secretary of the Department of the Interior, has deep ties to the fossil fuel industry. As governor of North Dakota, he forged close relationships with oil magnates like Harold Hamm of Continental Resources, co-hosting industry events and supporting initiatives that benefited companies with which he had financial interests . Burgum has also been a vocal advocate for carbon capture technologies, though his support for eminent domain to facilitate pipeline projects has faced criticism from landowners. Additionally, he signed an executive order renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the "Gulf of America" and reinstating the name "Mount McKinley" for Denali, moves that have been met with controversy. Burgum has also suggested adding Trump's likeness to Mount Rushmore, further aligning himself with the former president's legacy.
Duffy has minimal experience with transportation policy.
Little Interest in Transportation
President Trump’s nomination of former Wisconsin Congressman Sean Duffy as Secretary of Transportation has raised questions about Duffy’s qualifications and lack of experience in transportation policy or large-scale organizational management. While Duffy is known for his conservative credentials and media presence—hosting a show on Fox Business—he has shown little past interest in transportation issues during his political career.
Lacks Experience Running a Big Department
Critics highlight that Duffy’s resume lacks the kind of executive or technical background typically expected for running a department with 55,000 employees and responsibility for the nation’s infrastructure. His only noted involvement in transportation was supporting the St. Croix River bridge project in 2012.
Duffy has ties to the airline industry as a lobbyist for The Partnership for Open and Fair Skies.
Sean Duffy’s nomination as Secretary of Transportation is drawing scrutiny due to his close ties to the airline industry. In 2020, he worked as a lobbyist for The Partnership for Open and Fair Skies, a group backed by major airlines like American, Delta, and United. These same airlines recently sued the Biden administration to block new consumer protection rules targeting surprise fees.
Industry groups, including Airlines for America, quickly endorsed Duffy’s nomination, signaling confidence that he will prioritize airline profits over passenger rights. Critics point out that these airlines accepted over $40 billion in taxpayer COVID relief and then spent millions lobbying against passenger protections—raising alarms about Duffy's potential regulatory stance.
Duffy spread a conspiracy theory that George Soros owned voting machines used in U.S. Elections.
In 2016, Rep. Sean Duffy repeated a debunked conspiracy theory on CNN, suggesting—without verification—that George Soros owned voting machines used in U.S. elections. Despite acknowledging he hadn’t confirmed the claim, Duffy amplified it, even though it had been thoroughly discredited by multiple sources including Snopes, the Washington Post, and ProPublica. In fact, Soros has no ownership in Smartmatic—the company falsely tied to him—and that company had no voting machines in use in the U.S. at the time. Fact-checkers rated Duffy’s claim as "Pants on Fire" for spreading misinformation under the guise of mere speculation.
Sean Duffy has controversial stances on gun violence.
Rep. Sean Duffy made several controversial and offensive comments during a CNN interview, applauding the aftermath of the 2015 Charleston shooting, wrongly attributing the 2011 Tucson shooting to liberalism, and downplaying the threat of white supremacist violence. Duffy's remarks were widely criticized for being factually incorrect and insensitive, including his praise for the removal of the Confederate flag after the Charleston massacre, and his baseless claim that Gabby Giffords' shooter was a "leftist." His dismissive attitude toward white supremacist violence, as well as his loyalty to President Trump, has raised concerns about his detachment from reality and ability to represent his constituents effectively.
Sean Duffy starred in MTV's "The Real World"
Sean Duffy, President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for Secretary of the Department of Transportation, gained fame as a reality TV star before his political career. He appeared on several MTV shows, including "The Real World: Boston," "Road Rules: All Stars," and "Real World/Road Rules Challenge" between 1997 and 2002. Duffy later joined Fox News, co-hosting "The Bottom Line" on Fox Business. He is married to fellow reality TV star Rachel Campos-Duffy, with whom he shares nine children. During his Senate confirmation hearing, Duffy highlighted his family life and expressed his commitment to transportation safety, emphasizing his experience as a father and the impact transportation has on families.