President-Elect Trump’s recently announced pick as Sean Duffy for the next Secretary of Transportation has had mixed reactions. The former Wisconsin Congressman and current Fox News host would succeed Secretary Pete Buttigieg.
In a statement released this week, American Trucking Associations President and CEO Chris Spear applauded the choice, citing Duffy’s focus “on issues facing our industry and supported pro-trucking policies to strengthen the supply chain and our ability to keep the nation’s goods moving safely and efficiently” during his eight years in the House of Representatives.
“He is an exceptional choice to lead the Department of Transportation, and we congratulate him on his nomination and look forward to working with him in this role,” added Spear.
Other groups have not been as quick to celebrate Trump’s choice, alluding to Duffy’s views on electric vehicles while a cohost of The Bottom Line, a show on Fox Business.
“With his rhetoric on TV against electric vehicles, Duffy has positioned himself against the transition to a cleaner, safer transportation system,” said Shruti Vaidyanathan, director of transportation advocacy at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), in a recent statement. “If, as President Trump said, there will be a Golden Age of Travel, we need the cars, trucks and buses on our roads to stop harming our children’s lungs and accelerating climate change. And we need to give people access to the transportation options that best suit their lifestyles.”
Vaidyanathan’s statement alluded to a post from President-Elect Trump’s Truth Social account: “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 of ushering in The Golden Age of Travel, focusing on Safety, Efficiency, and Innovation.”
As with all of Trump’s nominations, Duffy will have to go through a Senate confirmation hearing before taking on the role of the next Secretary of Transportation.
