Former Wisconsin Congressman Is Interim NASA Director
To infinity and beyond for Sean Duffy, who adds to Secretary of Transportation responsibilities.
Sean Duffy. Photo from the US Government.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, a former congressman from Wisconsin, will lead NASA as its interim administrator, President Donald Trump announced Wednesday.
The 53-year-old was born in Hayward, Wisconsin. He’s an attorney who represented northwest Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District as a Republican from 2011 to 2019.
NASA’s administrator is appointed by the president, but a permanent administrator would need to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate.
Duffy has been serving as the U.S. Secretary of Transportation since January, after being appointed by Trump to that position and confirmed by the Senate. He’ll continue to serve as DOT secretary while also serving as NASA’s interim administrator.
Before being elected to Congress, Duffy was the elected district attorney in Ashland County. Before that, he appeared as a cast member on a series of reality TV shows including “Real World: Boston.”
Duffy has also worked as a lobbyist and as a TV host for Fox Business.
In December, Trump said he had chosen tech billionaire and private astronaut Jared Isaacman to lead NASA. But Trump withdrew Iscaacman’s nomination in late May. Isaacman had been backed by the former Department of Government Efficiency leader Elon Musk, and the switch-up has been seen as a sign of the deepening rift between Trump and Musk.
Duffy replaces Acting NASA Administrator Janet Petro, a longtime NASA executive who was formerly the director of the agency’s John F. Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Petro is returning to that director role at the space center, according to NASA.
Jeffrey Williams, a Wisconsin native who went on four space flights as a NASA astronaut, said Duffy seems to be a “logical choice” for interim administrator.
Duffy does not have a scientific background, but Williams said he believes Duffy’s experience in politics and government will be more relevant.
“The primary purpose of the job is to advocate for NASA in Washington, D.C., working with Congress, working with OMB [the Office of Management and Budget], working with the White House,” Williams said. “Hs primary role will be inside the beltway. … But then it becomes very important that he listens and builds trusting relationships with those that do have the expertise in the different areas.”
Wisconsin’s Sean Duffy picked to lead NASA as interim administrator was originally published by Wisconsin Public Radio.
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