Trump picks former Rep. Sean Duffy as Cabinet member

UNITED STATES —President-elect of the United States, Donald Trump, has nominated former Wisconsin Rep. Sean Duffy to be his transportation secretary, even as he continues to roll out Cabinet members.

Duffy, a former reality TV star was one of Trump’s most visible defenders on cable news, a prime concern for the media-focused president-elect.

Duffy served in the House for nearly nine years, as member of the Financial Services Committee and was chairman of the subcommittee on insurance and housing.

He left Congress in 2019, and is now co-host of a show on Fox Business, the “Bottom Line.”

Duffy is so far the second Fox-affiliated television host to be named to a cabinet position in Trump’s new White House.

Trump last week announced he was choosing Fox News host Pete Hegseth to serve as his defence secretary.

Trump in his announcement said Duffy would use his experience and relationships built over the years 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!”

He was a special prosecutor and Ashland County district attorney who won election to Congress as part of a tea party wave in 2010.

According to Trump, in his statement,  "Duffy would prioritise Excellence, Competence, Competitiveness and Beauty when rebuilding America’s highways, tunnels, bridges and airports.

"Duffy will make our skies safe again by eliminating DEI for pilots and air traffic controllers.” DEI refers to “diversity, equity and inclusion” programs, Trump added.

The US Transportation Department oversees the nation’s complex transportation system, including pipelines, railroads, cars, trucks and transit systems as well as federal funding for highways.

The department includes the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which regulates automakers, including Elon Musk’s Tesla. The department sets fuel economy standards for cars and trucks and regulates the airline industry through the Federal Aviation Administration, one of its agencies.