Introduction to Sean Duffy’s Tenure
Picking out the worst performer among Donald Trump’s Cabinet appointees is a tough job — it’s a competitive race, after all— but one member who deserves to be in the running by almost any measure of incompetence is Sean Duffy, the secretary of Transportation. Duffy is a classic example of someone who knows who’s responsible for the screwups on his watch, and it’s never him.
Blame-Shifting and Inconsistencies
He has spent the last weeks and months blaming the Biden administration for numerous operational failures in our air traffic system since he took over. Those include the Jan. 29 midair collision over Washington, D.C., that cost 67 air passengers their lives, as well as several near-misses on the ground.
"I think we need to be a little bit more precise in downsizing a department with a mission as critical as DOT’s." — Rep Steve Womack (R-Ark.)
Comparative Incompetence
Some Trump Cabinet members have more important portfolios than Duffy —Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, neither of whom has displayed anything approaching basic competence at their job, come immediately to mind. But the American public is bound to be particularly sensitive to the functioning of our transportation infrastructure. That’s especially true when it comes to the safety and reliability of air travel; every flight delay and safety-related mishap hits American travelers in the gut.
The Newark Liberty International Airport Disaster
The highest-profile failure (so far) is the disaster named Newark Liberty International Airport, where flight delays can last for the better part of a day and questions about safety are rife. Duffy, a former reality show contestant and four-term congressman, comes to the blame game with dirty hands. Let’s take a look.
Duffy’s Statements and Contradictions
First, here’s what he’s said about the condition of FAA operations and staffing. “I think it is clear that the blame belongs with the last administration,” he said Monday during a news conference at DOT headquarters. “Pete Buttigieg and Joe Biden did nothing to fix the system that they knew was broken.” He said, “During COVID, when people weren’t flying? That was a perfect time to fix these problems.”
Historical Context and Trump’s Role
A couple of points are pertinent here. First, in 2019, when Duffy was a Republican member of Congress from Wisconsin, the bill to fund the Department of Transportation among other agencies came before the House. Duffy voted against it. So did 179 other members of the GOP caucus; 12 Republicans joined the Democrats to pass the measure. Second, the pandemic year in which “people weren’t flying” was 2020. That year, the domestic passenger count plummeted to 369.4 million from 926.7 million the previous year. It was the lowest figure since 1984. Who was president in 2020? Not Biden, but Donald Trump.
FAA’s Chronic Problems
The problems date back even further — at least to 1981, when Ronald Reagan fired 11,000 air traffic controllers at a single blow to break their union. A frenzy of hiring and training followed, but the replacement cohort has passed its retirement age. The FAA is currently about 3,000 controllers shy of its target staffing, so the people on the job are stretched to their breaking point.
Trump Administration’s Impact
It isn’t as if Trump and Duffy pulled out all the stops to fix the FAA’s chronic problems upon taking office. Some 3,000 “probationary” employees at the agency were fired during a DOGE rampage, according to a count by the Professional Aviation Safety Specialists, the union representing safety and technical workers at the FAA, and a statement by Rep. Steve Womack (R-Ark.), chair of the subcommittee overseeing the Transportation Department budget.
Budget Cuts and Staffing Issues
During appearances last week before the House and Senate appropriations committees, Duffy boasted about saving taxpayers nearly $10 billion during the first 100 days of the Trump administration. That provoked Womack to riposte, “I think we need to be a little bit more precise in downsizing a department with a mission as critical as DOT’s. … The question is pretty simple: How many departures can you handle without eroding the ability to carry out a safe and effective mission?” “We can do more with less, Mr. Chairman,” Duffy replied.
Threats and Ideological Vetting
As it happens, on April 24, Duffy sent a letter to all recipients of DOT funds —effectively virtually every state and thousands of local jurisdictions, warning them that pursuing “DEI goals … violates federal law.” He threatened explicitly to withhold DOT funding from jurisdictions that fail to cooperate with federal immigration authorities. This is the “red tape” that Murray referenced.
Conclusion
It may not be long now before Duffy’s ideological vetting of transportation contracts and his decimation of the working staff at the FAA cause even greater disruptions in the air and on land, potentially with fatal consequences. His efforts to blame everyone else for his own failures are sure to have a very short half-life. Raise your tray tables and your reclining seats, and fasten your seat belts. We may be coming in for a hard landing.
FAQs
- Q: Who is Sean Duffy and what is his role in the Trump administration?
A: Sean Duffy is the secretary of Transportation in the Trump administration. - Q: What are some of the issues during Duffy’s tenure as Transportation secretary?
A: Some issues include numerous operational failures in the air traffic system, the disaster at Newark Liberty International Airport, and chronic understaffing at the FAA. - Q: Has the Trump administration taken steps to address the FAA’s problems?
A: The Trump administration has not effectively addressed the FAA’s chronic problems, with actions including firing "probationary" employees and proposing budget cuts that could compromise safety. - Q: What is the potential impact of Duffy’s actions and the Trump administration’s policies on transportation?
A: Duffy’s actions and the administration’s policies could lead to greater disruptions in air and land transportation, potentially with fatal consequences.
