Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said he would investigate after a report alleged that a top DEI activist offered minority air traffic controller candidates a way to cheat on the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) entry exam.
In an audio clip from 2014 obtained by <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14459979/listen-audio-DEI-sharing-answers-air-traffic-control-entry-exam.html?ns_mchannel=rss&amp;ns_campaign=1490&amp;ito=social-twitter_mailonline" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Mail</a>, Shelton Snow of the National Black Coalition of Federal Aviation Employees (NBCFAE), who has served as an air traffic operations supervisor based out of New York, was recorded telling prospective hires, “There are some valuable pieces of information that I have taken a screenshot of and I am going to send that to you via email. &#8230; I am about 99.99 percent sure that it is exactly how you need to answer each question.”
A former NBCFAE member, Matthew Douglas, informed The Daily Mail, “I know several people who cheated and I know several people who are controlling planes as we speak.”
“The inside info was made available in 2014 to African Americans, females, and other minority candidates – but whites were left out of the loop to &#8216;minimize competition,’&#8221; the news outlet added.
“I am launching a full investigation into the DEI hiring allegations at the FAA immediately. If true, swift accountability will come for those responsible. We need the best and brightest, not buzzword, DEI hires,” Duffy stated on X.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
I am launching a full investigation into the DEI hiring allegations at the FAA immediately.
If true, swift accountability will come for those responsible. We need the best and brightest, not buzzword, DEI hires. <a href="https://t.co/CTW75umVb5">https://t.co/CTW75umVb5</a>
&mdash; Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecDuffy/status/1900211640525873380?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 13, 2025</a></blockquote>
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“Until 2013, the FAA gave hiring preference to controller applicants who earned a degree from one of its Collegiate Training Initiative schools and scored high enough on an eight-hour screening test called the Air Traffic Selection and Training exam, or AT-SAT, which measures cognitive skills. The Obama administration, however, determined that the process excluded too many from minority groups,” Jason Riley of the Manhattan Institute <a href="https://manhattan.institute/article/affirmative-action-lands-in-the-air-traffic-control-tower">commented</a> in 2015.
By 2014, the FAA started using a biographical questionnaire to test prospective candidates, with questions such as, “How many sports did you play in high school?” and “What has been the major cause of your failures?”
Referring to the 2014 entry test, The Daily Mail <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14399413/FAA-air-traffic-control-hiring-process-quiz-DEI-targets.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>, “A job questionnaire for aspiring air traffic controllers introduced by the Obama administration was designed to meet secret DEI target numbers.”
Within days of his inauguration in January, President Donald Trump signed an <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/01/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-ends-dei-madness-and-restores-excellence-and-safety-within-the-federal-aviation-administration/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">executive memorandum</a> “terminating a Biden Administration Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) hiring policy that prioritized diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) over safety and efficiency.”

Sec. Duffy Speaks On NTSB Report On The Mid-Air Collision Near National Airport

Transportation Sec Duffy Looking Into Whether DEI Activist Helped Minorities Cheat On FAA Entry Exam

cheating

Department of Transportation

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)

Politics

Sean Duffy

Social Issues

Amid a significant uptick in near-miss incidents at airports across the country, then-Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg pushed for his department to focus on equity.
On February 4, 2023, a FedEx cargo plane nearly crashed into a Southwest Airlines passenger plane on a runway in Austin, Texas. That same day, Buttigieg, who is <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/buttigieg-to-pass-on-senate-run-as-he-eyes-white-house-in-2028-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> considering a 2028 presidential run, posted a video in celebration of “transit equity.” 
Disaster was only averted in Austin after the FedEx plane pulled up about 190 feet away from the Southwest plane, which had been spotted by a pilot of the FedEx craft. Both had been cleared to use the runway at the same time by an air traffic controller. The National Safety Transportation Board <a href="https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/Pages/DCA23FA149.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> one of the primary causes for the near-collision was due to the air traffic controller’s “expectation” that the Southwest plane would have taken off earlier than it did. 
As that situation developed in Austin, Buttigieg posted videos in honor of “Transit Equity Day.” 
“Transit is not just about getting from A to B, it&#8217;s about reaching jobs, education, health care, and so much more,” Buttigieg wrote on X. “On this Transit Equity Day, we reinforce our commitment to transportation systems that serve those who count on them the most.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Transit is not just about getting from A to B, it&#8217;s about reaching jobs, education, health care, and so much more.
On this Transit Equity Day, we reinforce our commitment to transportation systems that serve those who count on them the most. <a href="https://t.co/yh2irNcSEB">pic.twitter.com/yh2irNcSEB</a>
— Secretary Pete Buttigieg (@SecretaryPete) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecretaryPete/status/1621952275496280064?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 4, 2023</a></blockquote>
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He shared the video alongside Nuria Fernandez, who was then the administrator of the Federal Transit Administration. In that video, she said that the Department of Transportation&#8217;s priorities were “equity, accessibility, climate change.” 
As Buttigieg was promoting equity, a safety crisis was brewing in aviation. The first two months of 2023 saw at least six near-miss incidents recorded by the FAA. These incidents were happening at a “faster pace&#8221; than the previous five years combined, <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2023/03/01/near-collisions-airlines-00084885" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to a POLITICO analysis. 
Just two weeks later, another near-miss occurred at Logan Airport in Boston after a near-collision between a JetBlue passenger jet and a private aircraft which <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/ntsb-report-jetblue-hop-a-jet-close-call-logan-airport-boston-february-27/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">took off</a> without authorization. 
The increase in near-misses prompted the Federal Aviation Authority to convene a safety convention in March where NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy ripped into them for not adopting safety recommendations that she had given them. 
“We’ve essentially given you the road map on how to improve safety,” Homendy <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2023/03/15/buttigieg-airline-faa-billy-nolen-00087176" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>, adding that ignored recommendations are “the most frustrating thing for us.” 
“Too often we’ve seen the federal government and industry act after an incident, after lives are lost, once headlines are made,” Homendy said. “Our entire mission at the NTSB is to prevent that next accident.”
At the same convention, Buttigieg said that he was worried about the increase in close calls. 
“While the data remains clear that aviation remains an exceptionally safe form of travel, we take nothing for granted and we are particularly concerned because we have seen an uptick in serious close calls,” he said. 
Near-misses continued to be reported throughout 2023 and 2024, with growing concerns about airline safety, which only intensified after 67 people died in January of this year after an Army Black Hawk helicopter collided with an American Airlines flight over the Potomac River. 
The NTSB released a report on the deadly crash this week, urging the helicopter route that the Black Hawk was on the night of the crash to be shut down if certain runways at Reagan National Airport were in use. The <a href="https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/AIR2501.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> found that there were over 15,000 close calls between October 2021 and December 2024 between planes and helicopters on that route. 
The Trump administration, which has moved to eliminate equity-focused initiatives from the federal government, has said that it plans to comply with the NTSB recommendations. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy pledged Tuesday to implement all of the NTSB recommendations, including continuing the ban on the helicopter route that caused the January crash. 
Duffy also said he would take steps to move the FAA from its reliance on dated technology and would work to move it away from floppy disks and copper wires. 
He promised that increased safety measures would be taken to increase runway safety, which has been a contributing factor in many of the close calls. 
“We are going to deploy resources for runway safety, new technology that will allow our air traffic controllers not to use binoculars in the tower to see where aircraft are at, but to actually have ground radar sensors at our airports that will allow air traffic controllers to see where airplanes are at and better control their movements,&#8221; he said.

Transportation Secretary Buttigieg Testifies On 2025 Budget In House Hearing

Pete Buttigieg Pushed For ‘Transit Equity’ Amid Uptick In Airplane Close Calls

airplanes

National transportation Safety Board

Pete Buttigieg

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy sought on Monday to assuage concerns about air traffic safety after a number of high-profile plane incidents took place during the first month of the Trump administration as efforts to trim the &#8220;fat&#8221; are underway.
During an interview with Fox News anchor Bill Hemmer, Duffy acknowledged that the Department of Transportation (DOT) has fired hundreds of employees at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), but he emphasized they were people who were recently hired.
&#8220;There&#8217;s fat everywhere in government, and in DOT as well. But let&#8217;s be clear. At FAA, we cut 352 people out of 46,000 people. That is 0.8% of the workforce. These were probationary workers. They were employed for less than a year at DOT,&#8221; Duffy said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/SecDuffy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecDuffy</a>: &quot;We kept all of the critical safety positions. We actually hired more positions in critical safety, like air traffic controllers&#8230; for people to say that because we cut 352 people out of 46,000 — that that&#39;s a risk to safety — give me a break.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/4QEeWgAj4G">pic.twitter.com/4QEeWgAj4G</a>
&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1894047345815232922?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 24, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Duffy stressed that these employees who were let go were not veterans of the department needed to help keep transportation systems running smoothly, an assurance that followed recent air travel disasters such as the deadly <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/report-suggests-airport-tower-understaffed-at-time-of-collision-had-been-for-years" target="_blank" rel="noopener">collision</a> between a military helicopter and passenger jet in the Washington, D.C., area and mid-air plane <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/midair-plane-collision-in-arizona-kills-at-least-two" target="_blank" rel="noopener">crash</a> in Arizona.
&#8220;These weren&#8217;t the old school, really ingrained employees of the DOT. And not only that, we kept all of the critical safety positions. And we actually hired more positions in critical safety, like air traffic controllers. We hired more inspectors for things like pipelines and for aircraft,&#8221; Duffy said.
&#8220;So, again, we have a safety mission, but for people to say that because we cut 352 people out of 46,000 — that that&#8217;s a risk to safety — give me a break. I mean that&#8217;s just plain politics as opposed to saying let&#8217;s cut the fat,&#8221; Duffy added.
Duffy also <a href="https://x.com/RedWave_Press/status/1894052581082570788" target="_blank" rel="noopener">talked</a> about the email first announced over the weekend by Elon Musk, who is overseeing President Donald Trump&#8217;s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) effort, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dem-senators-cant-escape-elon-musk-asking-what-they-got-done-last-week" target="_blank" rel="noopener">requesting</a> that federal employees provide five things they accomplished in the past week. While other agency leaders have <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-officials-tell-employees-not-to-respond-to-musks-productivity-email?topStoryPosition=undefined" target="_blank" rel="noopener">instructed</a> their workers not to respond, the Transportation Secretary said he did not object.
&#8220;At DOT, I have no problem with employees here saying, &#8216;What did you do last week?&#8217; and if you can’t come up with five things that you did, maybe you shouldn’t be employed here,&#8221; Duffy said. &#8220;Again, this is an easy task. It happens in the private sector all the time. And so I wanted all our employees to actually engage and talk about what they did.&#8221;
He added: &#8220;I think this whole movement, Bill, is potentially going to make people go, &#8216;I&#8217;m going to come to work earlier.&#8217; &#8216;I&#8217;m going to stay later.&#8217; &#8216;I&#8217;m going to look at what Donald Trump wants me to accomplish because he won the election, and I&#8217;m going to fight and work to make sure I help him accomplish that because I&#8217;m a public servant.'&#8221;
Duffy even posted his own list of five things he accomplished last week in a post to X:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Mr. President, 5 things I did last week:
1. Terminated NYC elitist, anti-worker congestion pricing. 2. Launched an investigation into the $16 billion in taxpayer dollars wasted on a high-speed rail project that, after 17 years, has yet to lay a single mile of track. 3. Saved $10…
&mdash; Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecDuffy/status/1894031690256818515?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 24, 2025</a></blockquote>
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US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy

FAA Cut Probationary Workers, Added ‘Critical Safety’ Positions, Duffy Says

Air and Space

Air Travel

Transportation

President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that New York Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul&#8217;s steep congestion toll in New York City &#8220;is DEAD.&#8221;
Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy wrote a <a href="https://www.scribd.com/document/830170746/NYC-congestion-pricing-axed-as-Trump-pulls-approval-of-hated-toll#fullscreen&amp;from_embed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">letter</a> to Hochul on Wednesday, informing the governor that the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration is terminating approval for the congestion pricing plan, the New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/02/19/us-news/nyc-congestion-pricing-axed-as-trump-pulls-approval-of-hated-toll/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. The Department of Transportation initially approved the pilot program in November.
“New York State’s congestion pricing plan is a slap in the face to working class Americans and small business owners,” Duffy wrote, adding that the plan is &#8220;backwards and unfair.&#8221;
In a post on Truth Social, Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114032082899254855" target="_blank" rel="noopener">added</a>, &#8220;CONGESTION PRICING IS DEAD. Manhattan, and all of New York, is SAVED. LONG LIVE THE KING!&#8221;
The toll, which went into effect in January, charges drivers of passenger vehicles $9 to enter Midtown Manhattan south of 60th Street every weekday between 5 a.m. and 9 p.m. and each weekend day between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. Outside of those hours, drivers are charged $3.75. In his letter to Hochul, Duffy added that the program &#8220;exceeds the authority authorized by Congress&#8221; as federal law prohibits tolls on roads built with federal funds unless Congress specifically granted an exception.
“Every American should be able to access New York City regardless of their economic means. It shouldn’t be reserved for an elite few,” the letter stated.
Another reason cited by Duffy for terminating the plan is that it &#8220;appear[s] to be driven primarily by the need to raise revenue for the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) system as opposed to the need to reduce congestion.&#8221;
Hochul responded to the Trump administration&#8217;s decision, <a href="https://x.com/GovKathyHochul/status/1892294071961448664" target="_blank" rel="noopener">writing</a> that the MTA will be challenging the move in court.
&#8220;Since this first-in-the-nation program took effect last month, congestion has dropped dramatically and commuters are getting to work faster than ever. Broadway shows are selling out and foot traffic to local businesses is spiking,&#8221; Hochul wrote. &#8220;School buses are getting kids to class on time, and yellow cab trips increased by 10 percent. Transit ridership is up, drivers are having a better experience, and support for this program is growing every day.&#8221;
&#8220;We are a nation of laws, not ruled by a king,&#8221; the governor added, in direct response to Trump&#8217;s social media post. &#8220;The MTA has initiated legal proceedings in the Southern District of New York to preserve this critical program. We&#8217;ll see you in court.&#8221;

NYC Congestion Pricing

Trump Terminates ‘Backwards And Unfair’ NYC Congestion Toll

Donald Trump

Kathy Hochul

New York City

Trump Administration

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy slammed his predecessor, Pete Buttigieg, this week on social media as Buttigieg tried to imply that recent government cutbacks could have led to plane crashes that have occurred since the Trump administration took over.
&#8220;The flying public needs answers,&#8221; Buttigieg <a href="https://x.com/PeteButtigieg/status/1891486255889731993">posted</a> on X on Monday. &#8220;How many FAA personnel were just fired? What positions? And why?&#8221;
His post comes as there have been several recent plane crashes, including a commercial airliner that collided with a helicopter in Washington, D.C., late last month.
&#8220;Mayor Pete failed for four years to address the air traffic controller shortage and upgrade our outdated, World War II-era air traffic control system,&#8221; Duffy responded. &#8220;In less than four weeks, we have already begun the process and are engaging the smartest minds in the entire world.&#8221;
&#8220;Here’s the truth: the FAA alone has a staggering 45,000 employees,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;Less than 400 were let go, and they were all probationary, meaning they had been hired less than a year ago. Zero air traffic controllers and critical safety personnel were let go.&#8221;
Duffy said that Buttigieg used the Department of Transportation as &#8220;a slush fund for the green new scam and environmental justice nonsense.&#8221;
&#8220;Not to mention that over 90% of the workforce under his leadership were working from home &#8211; including him. The building was empty!&#8221; he continued. &#8220;When we finally get a full accounting of his mismanagement, I look forward to hearing from him.&#8221;
Buttigieg&#8217;s criticisms of Duffy come as he is considering a run for U.S. Senate in Michigan following the unexpected retirement of Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI), who said last month that he would not run for re-election in 2026.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Mayor Pete failed for four years to address the air traffic controller shortage and upgrade our outdated, World War II-era air traffic control system. In less than four weeks, we have already begun the process and are engaging the smartest minds in the entire world.
Here’s the… <a href="https://t.co/LCL1dswC2T">https://t.co/LCL1dswC2T</a>
— Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecDuffy/status/1891656952662405304?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 18, 2025</a></blockquote>

Senate Commerce, Science, And Transportation Committee Holds Confirmation Hearing For Sean Duffy

Sean Duffy Shreds Pete Buttigieg Over Problems At FAA

General

Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy will welcome a team from SpaceX to the Air Traffic Control System Command Center in Virginia on Monday as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) looks to Elon Musk&#8217;s company for advice on making &#8220;a new, better, modern and safer system.&#8221;
SpaceX, the leading rocket and spacecraft company in the world, will visit the FAA&#8217;s command center shortly after multiple deadly plane crashes sent shockwaves through the United States in recent weeks. In a <a href="https://x.com/SecDuffy/status/1891310401800872114" target="_blank" rel="noopener">post</a> on X on Sunday, Duffy said he wants to seek &#8220;advice from the brightest minds in America&#8221; to follow through on President Donald Trump&#8217;s desire to improve the country&#8217;s air traffic control system.
&#8220;I’m asking for help from any high-tech American developer or company that is willing to give back to our country,&#8221; Duffy wrote. &#8220;Tomorrow, members of @elonmusk’s SpaceX team will be visiting the Air Traffic Control System Command Center in VA to get a firsthand look at the current system, learn what air traffic controllers like and dislike about their current tools, and envision how we can make a new, better, modern and safer system.&#8221;
Musk replied to Duffy&#8217;s post, writing, &#8220;The safety of air travel is a non-partisan matter. SpaceX engineers will help make air travel safer.&#8221;
As the Trump administration continues to give Musk and his team at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) project more power and oversight of federal government agencies, Duffy attempted to get ahead of any criticism over his invitation to the SpaceX team.
&#8220;Because I know the media (and Hillary Clinton) will claim Elon’s team is getting special access, let me make clear that the [FAA] regularly gives tours of the command center to both media and companies,&#8221; he wrote.
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The Trump administration fired around 400 probationary FAA workers over the weekend, according to the Professional Aviation Safety Specialists, a union representing FAA and Department of Defense employees. Those terminated included environmental compliance workers, aeronautical information specialists, maintenance workers, and mechanics, USA Today <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/02/17/faa-workers-fired-trump-plane-helicopter-collision/78956241007/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
On January 29, just over a week after Trump took office, an American Airlines flight with 64 people on board collided midair with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter and crashed into the Potomac River. All 64 on the American Airlines flight, along with three servicemembers on the helicopter, died in the crash, marking the first deadly commercial plane crash on U.S. soil since 2009. Days later, a medical jet with six people on board crashed in Philadelphia, killing everyone on the plane and one person on the ground.
Federal investigators are trying to determine the cause of the midair collision over the Potomac. On Friday, the National Transportation Safety Board said the Black Hawk helicopter could have had bad data, making one pilot believe they were flying at 300 feet while the other pilot thought they were at 400 feet. The NTSB added that air traffic control&#8217;s instructions for the helicopter to go behind the incoming American Airlines flight could have been missed if one of the pilots keyed her radio at the same time as the message from air traffic control came through, ABC News <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/dc-plane-crash-new-details-emerge-ntsb-investigation/story?id=118820142" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
Following the collision, President Trump said his administration would &#8220;restore faith in American air travel,&#8221; adding that air traffic controllers must be &#8220;our smartest people.&#8221;
&#8220;It doesn’t matter what they look like, how they speak, who they are. &#8230; They have to be talented, naturally talented. Geniuses. Can’t have regular people doing their job,&#8221; Trump said in a White House press briefing.
RELATED: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-initiates-review-of-all-faa-workers-in-critical-safety-positions">Trump Initiates Review Of All FAA Workers In &#8216;Critical Safety Positions&#8217;</a>

Elon Musk

SpaceX Team To Visit FAA Command Center, Advise Transportation Secretary On ‘Safer System’

SpaceX

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy highlighted on Sunday some of the ways that the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/biden-administration" target="_blank" rel="noopener">previous administration</a> was focused on the wrong things inside the Department of Transportation.
Duffy made the remarks during an interview on CNN&#8217;s &#8220;State Of The Union&#8221; following two tragic plane crashes that happened last week.
Host Jake Tapper asked Duffy if DEI practices were in any way tied to the accident in Washington, D.C., where a military helicopter collided midair with a commercial passenger jet.
&#8220;So I do know that, in the last administration, they were focused on not safety, but they were focused on changing the name from cockpit to flight deck, or notice to airmen, they want to change it to notice to air mission,&#8221; Duffy said. &#8220;They focused on E.V.s and sustainability and racist roads, things that don&#8217;t matter in regard to safety.&#8221;
&#8220;Our mission since the start has been safety,&#8221; he said. &#8220;And they have lost that mission. And we see, when you don&#8217;t focus on safety and you focus on social justice or the environment, bad things happen.&#8221;
Duffy said that the department was going to assess all the ways that DEI has impacted the DOT and FAA and will release a report on it.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Sean Duffy just dispelled all the media lies about how Trump is just racist for suggesting that DEI played a role in the tragedy that unfolded in Washington, DC.
&#8220;I do know that in the last administration, they were focused not on safety, but they were focused on changing the… <a href="https://t.co/waSAo88ZJy">pic.twitter.com/waSAo88ZJy</a>
— Media Lies (@MediasLies) <a href="https://twitter.com/MediasLies/status/1886059454287815091?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 2, 2025</a></blockquote>

Sean Duffy Outlines DEI Initiatives Biden Admin Focused On At Transportation Dept

Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI)

Executive

This past week, newly confirmed Secretary of Transportation and former Wisconsin Congressman Sean Duffy shared his heartfelt compassion with the families of the victims of the tragic crash at DCA airport during a White House press conference. One of the most pro-life, pro-family leaders to enter the administration, Duffy said to the American people that he would not rest until his team had answers. “You should be assured that when you fly, you’re safe,” he said.
As a mother of four young children who travels frequently, I, along with Duffy and our nation, am devastated by this tragedy and pray history never repeats itself. But with Secretary Duffy at the helm, I am confident he will keep his focus on the safety of our nation.
American voters should be thrilled with Trump’s choice as Secretary of Transportation largely because Duffy has consistently been pro-family and pro-life throughout his personal and professional life. Just before his confirmation hearing, the father of nine children was <a href="https://x.com/rcamposduffy/status/1879640552226091308?s=46&amp;t=puBpnZhB6ZGkSUjVe0Zwxg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">spotted praying with his family</a>, a sign of a great leader ready to serve.
As citizens, we must step back from the political commentary about each nominee and consider his or her perspective on human life. Regardless of any role’s focus, the fundamental value of every human life is essential. This is not just a political issue but a moral one that will define America&#8217;s future. President-elect Trump’s administration will ultimately impact the protection of our American pre-born children for generations to come, and we should want each member of his team to share Duffy&#8217;s perspective.
At age 53, Duffy and his wife of 25 years, the well-known Fox News host Rachael Campos-Duffy, met in unusual circumstances – on an MTV reality show in the mid-90s. Even back then, Sean was described as a conservative, mid-western lumberjack from a ‘strict Irish-Catholic family’ with ten brothers and sisters. He and his future bride clashed with their more liberal cast members, foreshadowing their future careers.
Duffy earned a J.D. degree from William Mitchell College of Law and quickly became a special prosecutor and then a District Attorney before winning his seat in the House in 2010. He served in Congress from 2011 to 2019, all while growing his large family with Rachel. The couple remained devoted to each other, their faith, and their children, regardless of the countercultural environment we live in today.
In 2019, Duffy <a href="https://www.facebook.com/RachelCamposDuffy/posts/10157734471456202?ref=embed_post" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> he would be stepping down from his position as a U.S. Representative after learning that his newest baby girl would be born with complications. Valentina, baby number nine, needed open heart surgery within a few months of birth and was confirmed to have Down Syndrome. In Rachel’s <a href="https://www.facebook.com/RachelCamposDuffy/posts/10157734471456202?ref=embed_post" target="_blank" rel="noopener">public birth announcement</a>, she exclaimed that an “extra chromosome certainly made her EXTRA cute. Life is wonderful!”.
Their response is a beautiful example of welcoming a precious life into the world, regardless of difficult and unforeseen circumstances. This worldview is the opposite of so many we hear about today – especially in countries such as Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the UK, and Belgium, where more than 90% of women have their children killed via abortion after a Down Syndrome diagnosis.
Duffy has remained steadfast not only in his pro-life values but also in his political career.
In 2013, Duffy <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=742243356288&amp;set=vb.119657691436457&amp;type=3&amp;theater" target="_blank" rel="noopener">addressed the House of Representatives</a> regarding the Pennsylvania trial of Dr. Gosnell. He exposed the horrors of abortion, saying: “&#8230;dozens if not hundreds of babies have had their lives taken from them or they have been murdered— Left to lay in cardboard boxes. Left in toilets trying to swim for air. That kind of horror is being bestowed on children in America. And yet, where is the media? Where are the protests? Where are the congressional hearings? Where are the parents? Where are the high-powered meetings with the senators across the aisle?”
Just three years later, Duffy again called on legislators to take action to protect women and babies from abortion, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTcotAC6Zeo?rel=0&amp;showinfo=0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">saying</a>, “My friends, liberals, Congressional black caucus members, they talk about fighting for the defenseless and the hopeless and the downtrodden, but there is no one more hopeless or defenseless than an unborn baby. But their silence is deafening.” He cited the high abortion rate among minorities and how their communities are targeted by organizations such as Planned Parenthood.
This type of boldness from a politician should be commended and applauded. Duffy’s ability to defend the defenseless child in the womb and raise awareness of the brutality of the abortion procedure is the kind of leadership this country needs. Every leader in our nation’s Capitol needs to understand the grave importance of this issue that’s taking 2,800 precious lives every day in our country.
Duffy’s new role in the pro-life movement will undoubtedly have an impact on protecting the lives of pre-born children. Every person who recognizes the true dignity of human life can impact this issue.
The Secretary of Transportation oversees national transportation policy, with responsibilities ranging from negotiating and implementing international transportation agreements to assuring the fitness of U.S. airlines and ultimately <a href="https://www.transportation.gov/about" target="_blank" rel="noopener">delivering</a> the world’s leading transportation system. Duffy will serve the American people and the economy by providing a safe, efficient, sustainable, and equitable way to move people and goods.
His pro-life views will affect every decision he makes in this position, which I believe will bring about honest communication, protection of life, and justice for human rights. Trump’s decision to nominate Sean Duffy for such a high-profile role in our government should be applauded, and we should continue to hold him and all our nation&#8217;s leaders accountable for upholding the right to life as part of their patriotic duty.
* * *
Kimberly Bird is a Catholic mother of four and a Senior Specialist in Communications and Public Affairs at Live Action.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Why Secretary Duffy’s Pro-Life Views Make Him A Stand-Out Leader

Why Secretary Duffy's Pro-Life Views Make Him A Stand-Out Leader

Abortion

Cabinet

Children

Opinion

President Trump

Pro-Life Movement

On Tuesday, the GOP-led <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/u-s-senate" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Senate</a> confirmed the nomination of Sean Duffy to become <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/transportation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">transportation</a> secretary in President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/donald-trump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Donald Trump</a>&#8216;s second administration.
Senators voted 77-22 to confirm Duffy, a former Republican congressman from <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/wisconsin" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wisconsin</a> and ex-Fox Business host, who has pledged to focus on cutting red tape and improving travel safety in the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/cabinet" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cabinet</a> role. A number of Democrats joined with Republicans in approving the confirmation, but others voted against it amid a <a href="https://x.com/ElizLanders/status/1884294342497776097" target="_blank" rel="noopener">protest</a> against Trump&#8217;s <a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-pause-federal-grants-aid-f9948b9996c0ca971f0065fac85737ce" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pause</a> on federal grants and loans after the Senate unanimously advanced Duffy&#8217;s nomination the night before.
&#8220;Sean Duffy understands the transportation challenges that rural states like South Dakota face, and he’ll bring valuable experience that will help him manage our nation’s sprawling transportation system,&#8221; Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) <a href="https://x.com/LeaderJohnThune/status/1884013680519692595" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> on X. &#8220;I look forward to working with him in his new role.&#8221;
Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/sean-duffy-to-be-trumps-transportation-secretary-will-end-dei-for-pilots" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> the nomination in November, noting how Duffy worked with Democrats during his time in Congress to enact <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/st-croix-bridge-legislation-signed-into-law/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a $700 million project</a> for the construction of a four-lane bridge between Wisconsin and Minnesota.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
🚨 NEW: President Trump announces the nomination of former Congressman <a href="https://twitter.com/SeanDuffyWI?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SeanDuffyWI</a> as Secretary of Transportation. <a href="https://t.co/Sk3rn5IWKR">pic.twitter.com/Sk3rn5IWKR</a>
&mdash; Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) <a href="https://twitter.com/TrumpWarRoom/status/1858648706708631782?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 18, 2024</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;He will prioritize Excellence, Competence, Competitiveness, and Beauty when rebuilding America’s highways, tunnels, bridges, and airports,&#8221; Trump <a href="https://x.com/TrumpWarRoom/status/1858648706708631782" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. &#8220;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.&#8221;
Underscoring the bipartisan nature of Duffy&#8217;s support base, Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) introduced the nominee at his confirmation hearing earlier this month, which was held by the Senate Commerce Committee.
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The Senate has voted 97-0 to invoke cloture on the nomination of Sean Duffy for Secretary of Transportation. 
Duffy, a former Wisconsin Congressman, was introduced at his hearing by Senator Tammy Baldwin who said it was a “pleasure” to introduce him and that he was “the right… <a href="https://t.co/j5PWhqF0Ta">pic.twitter.com/j5PWhqF0Ta</a>
&mdash; Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) <a href="https://twitter.com/yashar/status/1884028933982609545?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 28, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;I am confident that Sean is the right person for this job in this upcoming administration,&#8221; Baldwin <a href="https://x.com/yashar/status/1884028933982609545" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. &#8220;I believe he will help deliver for Wisconsin families, businesses, and workers, and I expect that he will work through this committee and both sides of the aisle to improve our infrastructure and address the challenges that arise in the years ahead.&#8221;
Joined by his wife, Fox News personality Rachel Campos-Duffy, and their children, Duffy testified that if confirmed to lead the Department of Transportation (DOT), he would prioritize streamlining infrastructure projects, efficient use of taxpayer dollars, and travel safety.
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WATCH: Transportation Secretary nominee Sean Duffy opening statement. <a href="https://t.co/93jjYVWuEs">pic.twitter.com/93jjYVWuEs</a>
&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1879564240564212160?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 15, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;Transportation impacts every aspect of life, from efficiently and securely moving products to our ports to the ease of commuting from work, to school, but also to church on Sunday,&#8221; Duffy said. &#8220;Together with President Trump and this committee and the entire DOT team I would hope to usher in a golden age of transportation and travel.&#8221;
Duffy is the sixth person to obtain Senate approval to join Trump&#8217;s second-term Cabinet. Scott Bessent, the nominee to lead the Treasury Department, was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/senate-confirms-trumps-pick-for-treasury-secretary" target="_blank" rel="noopener">confirmed</a> on Monday night. The others include Secretary of State <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/marco-rubio" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Marco Rubio</a>, CIA Director <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/john-ratcliffe" target="_blank" rel="noopener">John Ratcliffe</a>, Defense Secretary <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/pete-hegseth" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pete Hegseth</a>, and Homeland Security Secretary <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/kristi-noem" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kristi Noem</a>.
Reports <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/pete-buttigieg-reportedly-considering-run-for-u-s-senate" target="_blank" rel="noopener">emerged</a> on Tuesday saying <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/pete-buttigieg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pete Buttigieg</a>, who led DOT in the Biden administration, is considering a 2026 Senate campaign in Michigan as Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/michigan-dem-senator-gary-peters-wont-run-for-re-election" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> he would not seek re-election.

Senate Confirms Sean Duffy As Trump’s Transportation Secretary

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A federal judge this week ruled against a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/biden-administration" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Biden-Harris</a> administration program that allocated around $37 billion in federal road contracts for businesses owned by women and racial minorities, raising questions about the future of a decades-old affirmative action program.
Since the 1980s, the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program has required around 10% of federal dollars allocated for road construction contracts to go to women and certain racial minorities. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which Biden signed in 2021, reauthorized the DBE and set aside $37 billion for eligible recipients.
This year, two small businesses sued the Transportation Department, saying that the DBE program caused them to lose out on business. On Monday, Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove <a href="https://will-law.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/OPINION.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ruled</a> that the Biden-Harris administration could not enforce the DBE&#8217;s affirmative action quotas against the businesses.
“The Court is keenly aware of the past discrimination that certain groups of people have faced in this country,” Tatenhove wrote. “And the Court is sure that the federal government has nothing but good intentions in trying to remedy past wrongs. But remedying those wrongs must still pass constitutional muster. The federal government cannot classify people in such a manner that violates the principles of equal protection.”
This is the latest caste that builds off the Supreme Court&#8217;s June 2023 ruling that affirmative action was unconstitutional. One federal judge <a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/business/articles/2024-03-06/a-federal-judge-has-ordered-a-us-minority-business-agency-to-serve-all-races" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ruled</a> that the Minority Business Development Agency needed to be open to working with business owners of all races, while another judge <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/09/07/sba-8a-program-ruling-affirmative-action/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> that the Small Business Administration could not distribute contracts based on the claim that certain races are inherently disadvantaged.
The Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty (WILL) filed the lawsuit on behalf of Mid-America Milling and Bagshaw Trucking. The businesses, which are owned in part by white males and operate in Kentucky and Indiana, routinely bid on federal contracts. Mid-America says it has lost out on 82 contracts in Indiana since January 2022 because of the DBE program.
In his decision, Van Tatenhove wrote that both companies have “previously lost out on federally funded contracts to DBE firms, even when Plaintiffs’ bids were lower.” 
<a href="https://www.amiracist.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amiracist.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1726313279401000&amp;usg=AOvVaw115_qPFFEePDP86-Fvo-Vd">Am I Racist? Is In Theaters NOW — Get Your Tickets Here!</a>
WILL lawyer Daniel Lennington told The Daily Wire that the decision was a major blow for the Biden-Harris administration’s “equity agenda,” which pushes race-based programs throughout the federal government. 
Lennington noted that after a period of discovery, WILL would ask for a final decision from the judge that would block any business from being subject to the DBE program. 
“The DBE program is really baked into the DNA of road building in America and companies all across America just assume that this program is never going to go anywhere,” he said. “We believe that’s unconstitutional and it hurts real people that have real businesses every day.&#8221;

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Judge Blocks Biden Plan To Give $37 Billion In Construction Contracts To Women And Minorities

Biden Administration

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A federal judge in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/texas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Texas</a> struck down a <a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/12/07/2023-26019/national-performance-management-measures-assessing-performance-of-the-national-highway-system" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rule</a> from the Biden administration that required states and cities to measure and set goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions “associated with transportation.”
The rule, put forth by the Federal Highway Administration, was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-admin-sued-over-rule-that-mandates-emissions-standards-for-states" target="_blank" rel="noopener">criticized by Republicans</a> who argued that the federal government lacked authority to implement the mandate and that it was an attempt by the Biden administration to impose its climate agenda on conservative states. Texas sued in December to have the rule vacated and a federal judge sided with the state on Wednesday. 
“A federal administrative agency cannot act without congressional authorization. Here, the Federal Highway Administration created a rule requiring the states to measure, report, and set declining targets for the amount of carbon dioxide emitted by vehicles using the interstate and national-highway systems,” <a href="https://subscriber.politicopro.com/eenews/f/eenews/?id=0000018e-855e-dc9c-ab9f-adfe6b270000" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a> Judge James Hendrix of the Northern District of Texas.
“Texas sued, alleging that the agency lacked authority to enact the rule. Given the statutory text’s plain language and context, the Court agrees,” Hendrix, a Trump appointee, added. 
In his 49-page decision, Hendrix said that the Department of Transportation had attempted to override the law&#8217;s “clear limitation of authorized performance measures to those that track the physical condition and efficiency of the interstate and national-highway systems.”
He said that in order for the federal government to force states to make greenhouse gas measurements Congress either had to amend 23 U.S. Code Section 150, a federal law related to national highways and interstates, or pass an entirely new law.
“If the people, through Congress, believe that the states should spend the time and money necessary to measure and report GHG emissions and set declining emission targets, they may do so by amending Section 150 or passing a new law,” Hendrix wrote. “But an agency cannot make this decision for the people.”
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The decision was celebrated by Republicans in Congress, including Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Sam Graves (R-MO) and Highways and Transit Subcommittee Chairman Rick Crawford (R-AR).
“This was a clear case of blatant overreach by the Biden Administration from the beginning, and we commend the Court for its ruling that a ‘federal administrative agency cannot act without congressional authorization,’” Graves and Crawford said in a statement. “Congress rejected the inclusion of a GHG performance measure requirement when the infrastructure law was developed, making the Administration’s rule making an unlawful attempt to circumvent Congress and force this one-size-fits-all burden upon every state and community across the country.”

US President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and NC governor Roy Cooper in North Carolina

Federal Judge Strikes Down Biden’s Highway Rule Imposing Climate Agenda On States

Climate Change

Texas

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