The Senate confirmed Sean Duffy as President Donald Trump’s secretary of transportation on Jan. 28, 2025. Duffy, a Republican who represented Wisconsin in the House of Representatives, was expected to win confirmation with overwhelming bipartisan support but lost the backing of some Democratic senators who used the vote to criticize Trump’s freeze on federal grants.
Since taking office, Duffy has visited communities in Appalachia impacted by Hurricane Helene and directed the Department of Transportation to prioritize infrastructure projects and grants in regions with higher-than-average marriage and birth rates. He has also been at the center of debates over the future of the FAA following multiple incidents that occurred since he was confirmed.
Who is he?
Duffy and his wife, conservative television personality Rachel Campos-Duffy, have nine children. The couple met in 1997 on the set of MTV’s reality show “Road Rules: All Stars.”
Duffy was appointed district attorney of Ashland County, Wisconsin, in 2002 by then-Gov. Scott McCallum, a fellow Republican. In 2010, Duffy won the 7th district and went on to serve in the House until 2019. During his time in Congress, Duffy supported Trump’s 2017 policy banning travel to the United States. by citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries. In 2018, he accused U.S. allies in Europe, Canada and Mexico of engaging in “economic terrorism” for imposing tariffs in response to tariffs established by the Trump administration. He served on the Financial Services and Budget committees.
Since leaving Congress, Duffy has worked as a political analyst for Fox News and as a lobbyist.
Duffy’s lobbying experience includes work with BGR Group, a Republican-aligned firm. BGR has represented a range of high-profile clients such as Russia’s Alfa-Bank, Chevron, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Russian-owned American Ethane. While working for BGR, Duffy lobbied for the Partnership for Open and Fair Skies on issues similar to those he supported during his time in Congress. His portfolio also included clients like oil company Enterprise Products and automaker Polaris.
From 2009 to 2020, political action committees and employees of the insurance and securities/investment industries contributed around $2 million to Duffy’s campaigns, including $70,000 from Northwestern Mutual affiliates.
Individuals tied to Wisconsin-based companies Greenheck Fan Corp, an air movement and conditioning manufacturer, Wausau Homes, a custom home builder, and Northwestern Mutual contributed $177,000 over the course of Duffy’s congressional career. Those contribution totals outpaced donations from employees of any other business.
In 2023, while working at BGR, Duffy made a $7,500 donation to the National Republican Senatorial Committee. Additionally, the Sean Duffy Campaign Committee contributed $7,000 to the Wisconsin Republican Party. As of December 2024, Duffy’s campaign committee had $2 million in cash on hand, which can be used to support party committees or other candidates.
Why does it matter?
Duffy’s transportation experience is mostly confined to the lobbying work he did on behalf of a major airline coalition, but he now oversees agencies like the Federal Aviation Administration and the Federal Highway Administration.
The former oil industry lobbyist and climate change skeptic has already taken steps to reduce the cost of cars and eliminate electric vehicle incentives.
He also implemented a “Woke Rescission” memo, rolling back Biden-era policies on climate change and environmental justice within the Department of Transportation.
This article is part of a series examining the role political money has played in the careers of President Donald Trump’s nominees for executive branch positions.
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