Trump picks former representative Sean Duffy as next transportation secretary

CNN
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President-elect Donald Trump announced Monday that he has selected former congressman Sean Duffy to serve as the next secretary of the Department of Transportation.

Duffy served in the United States House of Representatives from 2011 to 2019, representing Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District.

“Sean will use his experience and the relationships he has built over many years in Congress to maintain and rebuild our nation’s infrastructure and fulfill our mission to usher in a golden age of travel focused on safety, efficiency and innovation,” Trump said. in a statement.

The new head of the department will face a number of aviation safety-related issues, including plane maker Boeing’s series of quality control and manufacturing problems. There are also threats of strikes from unions and climate-focused initiatives like electric cars and charging stations likely to be on his desk for years to come.

Established in 1966, the Department of Transportation has nearly 55,000 workers and leads the nation’s efforts for safety, sustainability and efficiency in all forms of travel and transportation.

In the role, Duffy would take over the department from Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who was appointed to lead the department in February 2021. During Trump’s first administration, Elaine Chao headed the agency before she resigned following the uprising on January 6, 2021.

This is a developing story and will be updated.