The former five-term congressman Sean Duffy has been officially sworn in as the new US Secretary of the Department of Transportation (DOT) after receiving bipartisan approval in a Senate vote.
Duffy, who also previously presented a television show on Fox, gathered with his family at the US Supreme Court on January 28, 2025, where upon he was administered the oath by Justice Clarence Thomas.
Following the ceremony, Duffy wrote: “I am honored and humbled to be officially sworn in as our country’s 20th Secretary of Transportation. I’m ready to advance President Trump’s agenda for safety and innovation in transportation. Thank you to Justice Thomas for administering the oath and spending time with our family.”
Duffy cleared the final hurdle to become the 20th Secretary of Transportation following a Senate vote where his nomination was approved 72 to 22.
On January 22, 2025, Duffy received the backing of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, to lead the DOT in a unanimous vote.
Duffy has pledged to maintain a cap on Boeing 737 MAX production that was put in place following the Alaska Airlines incident on January 5, 2024, when a door plug separated from a plane midflight.
The aviation industry awaits to see Duffy’s approach towards the industry and whether he will continue the previous administration’s battle with US airlines over “junk fees” but it seems unlikely.
“I am deeply honored by the trust placed in me by President Trump to lead this important Department and for the Senate in swiftly confirming my nomination. We are already hard at work executing the President’s vision to usher in a golden age of transportation by taking immediate action to remove government overreach and lower costs for hardworking Americans,” Duffy said in a statement following the swearing-in ceremony.
