Transport Secretary Sean Duffy was a guest on the “Pod Force One” podcast hosted by the New York Post, where he shared some details about an earlier disagreement with Elon Musk, who previously led the government efficiency initiative known as DOGE.
Duffy described their interaction as “a little back and forth” sparked by Musk’s suggestion to create a “position of safety criticality” concerning the air traffic controller, emphasizing that there would be no such firings on his watch. He noted that the discussion occurred prior to a tragic plane crash in Washington, D.C., in January that took the lives of dozens. Duffy stressed that no significant roles related to safety would be eliminated in the Transportation Department.
Duffy mentioned that while they may have had their differences, he felt they were “going well enough” after the discussion. He acknowledged the need for his department to operate more efficiently but firmly asserted that terminating an air traffic controller was not an option, which perhaps fueled some tension between him and Musk.
He talked about the operational aspects, implying that while there are areas to improve, the notion of firing personnel would only worsen public perception. Duffy expressed that if he had acted on Musk’s suggestion, he could have faced intense backlash from the media.
There was also mention of the unfortunate collision between an Army Black Hawk helicopter and a regional jet at Reagan National Airport on January 27, which raised concerns over air travel safety and the state of the air traffic control system.
As the discussion continued, Duffy praised Musk as a “surprising innovator,” even as he reaffirmed that he is the one managing the transportation policies and that his choices need to reflect that responsibility. He concluded with a reminder that leaders must guide their departments without succumbing to outside pressures.
