President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday, July 9 that Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy will serve as the interim administrator of NASA.
“I am pleased to announce that I am directing our GREAT Secretary of Transportation, Sean Duffy, to be interim administrator of NASA,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “Sean is doing a TREMENDOUS job in handling our country’s transportation affairs, including creating a state-of-the-art air traffic control system, while at the same time rebuilding our roads and bridges, making them efficient and beautiful again. He will be a fantastic leader of the ever more important space agency, even if only for a short period of time. Congratulations, and thank you, Sean!”
Duffy responded on X that he accepted the role.
“Honored to accept this mission,” Duffy wrote. “Time to take over space. Let’s launch.”
Duffy, who previously served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2011 to 2019, was nominated to be DOT secretary in November 2024 and then was confirmed in January.
Since Duffy took over the DOT, he has been involved in several trucking issues.
In May, Duffy led a news conference in Austin, Texas, to announce that the DOT would begin enforcing existing regulations that require truck drivers to demonstrate basic English skills. On June 27, the DOT announced nine “Pro-Trucker” initiatives aimed at improving the profession. Those initiatives include efforts to increase truck parking capacity, to withdraw a rulemaking to mandate speed limiters and to add flexibility to the hours-of-service regulations.
House, Senate hearings
It was also announced on Wednesday, July 9 that Duffy will testify in front of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on Wednesday, July 16. It will be his first appearance before the committee.
Members will have the opportunity to question Duffy on a variety of transportation and trucking issues, as well as the fiscal year 2026 budget request. The hearing will begin at 10 a.m. Eastern and can be viewed here.
Also at 10 a.m. Eastern on Wednesday, July 16, the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee will hold confirmation hearings for FMCSA nominee Derek Barrs, NHTSA nominee Jonathan Morrison and PHMSA nominee Paul Roberti.
Barrs, who was nominated in March to lead the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, has more than three decades of experience in law enforcement. He has served as a member of the American Trucking Associations’ Law Enforcement Advisory Board, the Florida Trucking Association and the Flagler Sheriff’s Employee Assistant Trust Board of Directors. LL
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