Just hours after Sean Duffy was sworn in as the nation’s new Transportation Secretary, he found himself at the center of a national crisis. A tragic mid-air collision at Reagan National Airport Wednesday night left 60 passengers, four crew members, and three Army soldiers feared dead, marking one of the worst air disasters in decades.
An American Airlines jet collided with a U.S. Army helicopter during its landing approach, plunging into the Potomac River. As the public face of the government’s response, Duffy moved swiftly, overseeing efforts from both the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Department of Transportation (DOT) while joining President Trump at the White House briefing Thursday.
“Our new Secretary of Transportation, Sean Duffy—his second day on the job when that happened. That’s a rough one,” Trump remarked, standing beside him. “Great gentleman. Just started. It’s not your fault.”
Sean Duffy’s Response on D.C. Plane Crash
By Wednesday night, Duffy was at FAA headquarters, directing resources and personnel to assist the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) with the investigation. Hours later, before dawn Thursday, he stood alongside Washington, D.C.’s mayor and emergency response officials at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, addressing the press about the ongoing search efforts and investigation.
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Asked about the burden of handling a national tragedy so soon after taking office, Duffy remained focused: “I’ve been secretary for a little over a day, and this tragedy touches everyone’s hearts. Right now, my priority is those impacted.”
Later that morning, at another press conference, he reassured the public of American air safety: “I will tell you with complete confidence that we have the safest airspace in the world.”
Duffy’s presence in airport briefings continued throughout the day, culminating in his appearance at the White House briefing room alongside Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Addressing reporters, Duffy pledged swift and transparent action: “We will get to the bottom of this investigation—not in three years, not in four years, but as quickly as possible.”
“What happened yesterday shouldn’t have happened,” he added. “When Americans take off in airplanes, they should expect to land at their destination.”
Trump, meanwhile, offered prayers for the victims while making politically charged claims regarding FAA hiring practices under previous administrations—claims he admitted were not based on concrete evidence. While Duffy did not directly repeat those assertions, he also did not dispute them, stating:
“When we deal with safety, we can only accept the best and the brightest in positions that impact the lives of our loved ones. We will take responsibility at the Department of Transportation and FAA to ensure the highest standards moving forward.”
Duffy now oversees America’s aging transportation infrastructure, including highways, railroads, and airspace. His agency regulates the airline industry through the FAA, which is currently facing a shortage of air traffic controllers.
Trump’s selection of Duffy as Transportation Secretary came with a clear mandate: to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies in aviation and increase hiring for air traffic controllers. The president had previously criticized DEI programs, claiming they reduced industry standards—an assertion that remains a point of contention.
During his confirmation, Duffy vowed to scrutinize Boeing’s safety practices following its recent controversies, as well as revamp air traffic control hiring to address shortages. His confirmation was approved by a bipartisan 77-22 vote.
In his first executive action, Duffy rolled back fuel mileage standards imposed during the Biden administration, aligning with Trump’s broader deregulatory agenda.
His approach also includes:
- Cutting DEI initiatives at the Department of Transportation.
- Crafting federal regulations for self-driving cars, rather than leaving policies to individual states—a move favored by Tesla CEO Elon Musk.
- Ensuring continued investigations into Tesla’s safety practices without direct interference.
Duffy has vowed to restore public confidence in U.S. aviation, stating that safety and efficiency must come before bureaucracy.
As investigations continue into Wednesday night’s deadly crash, Duffy’s leadership will be under scrutiny. He faces a balancing act—delivering on policy promises while managing immediate crises.
For now, his focus remains on the families affected by the tragedy. “We owe it to the victims and their loved ones to get answers,” he said. “And we will.”
