(Ben Sellers, Headline USA) After having been warned by House Speaker Mike Johnson not to mine anymore talent from the razor-thin House majority to fill his executive staff, it seems President-elect Donald Trump has found a new well-spring.
In the wake of his bombshell nomination of Pete Hegseth for Defense secretary, Trump on Monday announced his second Cabinet secretary selection from the Fox News stable: former Wisconsin congressman Sean Duffy.
He picked Duffy, co-host (with Dagen McDowell) of The Bottom Line on Fox Business Network and husband of Fox and Friends co-host Rachel Campos–Duffy, to be his nominee for Transportation secretary, replacing perennially absent Biden administration official Pete Buttigieg.
“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,” Trump wrote. “Importantly, he will greatly elevate the Travel Experience for all Americans!
Trump noted in his announcement that Duffy had a career in public service prior to entering the media business.
“Sean has been a tremendous and well-liked public servant, starting his career as a District Attorney for Ashland, Wisconsin, and later elected to the U.S. House of Representatives for Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District,” Trump wrote.
He touted Duffy’s support for fiscal responsibility, transparency and accountability, along with his bipartisanship.
“Admired across the aisle, Sean worked with Democrats to clear extensive Legislative hurdles to build the largest road and bridge project in Minnesota History,” Trump wrote.
Trump said he would task Duffy with undoing the damage wrought by Buttigieg, whose tenure was marred by mishaps—including Boeing’s mid-air door blowout—that some have attributed to the prioritization of “diversity” over competence in the transportation sector.
“He will prioritize Excellence, Competence, Competitiveness and Beauty when rebuilding America’s highways, tunnels, bridges and airports,” Trump wrote. “He will ensure our ports and dams serve our Economy without compromising our National Security, and he will make our skies safe again by eliminating DEI for pilots and air traffic controllers.”
Buttigieg, who is gay, had no prior transportation experience when appointed to the job other than being a model-train enthusiast and fixing potholes as mayor of South Bend, Indiana. However, some have cast aspersions on his track record with the potholes.
In addition to being prominent Fox News personalities, Duffy and Hegseth have at least one other common attribute: large families.
As “the father of nine incredible children, Sean knows how important it is for families to be able to travel safely, and with peace of mind,” Trump wrote.
Ben Sellers is the editor of Headline USA. Follow him at x.com/realbensellers.
