President-elect Donald Trump is putting together a cabinet team that appears to be focused on two key things:
- Making America great by draining the swamp
- Upsetting the establishment media to the point of derangement
Trump’s latest nominee for “political gladiator” fits the above pair of maxims to a tee.
The former-and-future president took to Truth Social to announce that he had picked Fox Business host, Fox News contributor and ex-Wisconsin Rep. Sean Duffy to be his new Secretary of Transportation.
“I am pleased to announce that former Congressman Sean Duffy, from the Great State of Wisconsin, is nominated to serve as the Secretary of Transportation,” Trump posted Monday.
The president-elect continued: “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 would later add that Duffy would “prioritize Excellence, Competence, Competitiveness and Beauty when rebuilding America’s highways, tunnels, bridges and airports.”
One specific thing that Duffy will seek to address immediately, according to Trump?
Will Duffy perform better in this role than Buttigieg?
“[H]e will make our skies safe again by eliminating DEI for pilots and air traffic controllers.”
Given that particular promise and Duffy’s history as a Fox News pundit and former reality television star instead of politics (See: Key Thing No. 1), it should come as little surprise that his nomination immediately triggered a fresh wave of outrage from the perpetually aggrieved left (See: Key Thing No. 2).
Just look at the quiet seething from the establishment media, who made sure to point out that Duffy was mostly just a reality television star — and little else.
Potential Trump picks for DOT: A reality TV star, a rail antagonist — and a former Uber exec https://t.co/qimx4fqm5h
— POLITICO (@politico) November 18, 2024
Left-leaning Politico dismissed Duffy as a “reality TV star” and “a rail antagonist,” while pointing out his past work as an Uber executive.
Far-left Rolling Stone magazine, meanwhile, screeched as loud as the hair metal rockers it once covered with aplomb:
Donald Trump has nominated fellow reality TV personality and Fox host Sean Duffy to be the next U.S. Secretary of Transportation
More: https://t.co/opRv56iwqbhttps://t.co/opRv56iwqb
— Rolling Stone (@RollingStone) November 19, 2024
(Similar accusations of “just a Fox News host” were levied at Duffy’s peer at the network, Pete Hegseth, who Trump nominated as Secretary of Defense.)
“Donald Trump has nominated fellow reality TV personality and Fox host Sean Duffy to be the next U.S. Secretary of Transportation,” the rock and roll magazine posted to X, with the words almost visibly dripping with contempt.
It’s at this point where I just have to interject: “Real World” star or not, Duffy is just as — if not more so — qualified to be the Secretary of Transportation than his Democratic predecessor, Pete Buttigieg.
“Mayor Pete” presided over South Bend, Indiana, a city with a population just north of 100,000 according to July 2023 U.S. census estimates. That’s a marked step down from actually having served in Congress on a national level while tackling national issues (like transportation is). That’s not even meant to be an insult towards Buttigieg, but just a statement of fact.
The stints on television as both a reality television competitor and Fox News contributor are immaterial to the actual work Duffy has done on a state and national level.
Despite the anger from the left, Duffy appears to be taking this in stride.
“Thank you, Mr. President,” Duffy said, with an accompanying screen shot of Trump’s above post. “I’m eager to help you usher in a new golden age of transportation.”
Duffy threw in a “#MAGA” for good measure.
Regardless of whether or not Duffy gets confirmed, Trump has made it clear he has high expectations for him — due in part to Duffy’s aforementioned work history.
“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.
“Importantly, he will greatly elevate the Travel Experience for all Americans!”
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