U.S. Transport Secretary Duffy to Lead NASA in Interim Role

Donald John Trump, born June 14, 1946, in Queens, New York, is an American businessman, media personality, and politician. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School in 1968 with a degree in economics. In 1971, he took over his family’s real estate business, renaming it the Trump Organization, through which he expanded into building and managing skyscrapers, hotels, casinos, and golf courses. Trump gained widespread fame as the host of the reality TV show *The Apprentice* from 2004 to 2015, which helped establish his public persona as a successful entrepreneur. Trump entered politics as a Republican and was elected the 45th president of the United States, serving from 2017 to 2021. His presidency was marked by significant policy actions including tax cuts, deregulation, the appointment of three Supreme Court justices, renegotiation of trade agreements (notably replacing NAFTA with the USMCA), and a focus on immigration control including border wall expansion. He withdrew the U.S. from international agreements such as the Paris Climate Accord and the Iran nuclear deal, and engaged in a trade war with China. His administration’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic was criticized for downplaying the virus’s severity. Trump was impeached twice by the House of Representatives—first in 2019 for abuse of power and obstruction, and again in 2021 for incitement of insurrection—but was acquitted by the Senate both times. After losing the 2020 election to Joe Biden, Trump challenged the results, culminating in the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. He remains a central figure in American politics, having won the 2024 presidential election and returned as the 47th president in 2025, continuing to promote policies aimed at economic growth, border security, and military strength[1][2][3][4].

Sean Patrick Duffy is the 20th United States Secretary of Transportation, a position he has held since January 28, 2025.[1][2] Born on October 3, 1971, in Hayward, Wisconsin, Duffy comes from a large Irish Catholic family as the tenth of eleven siblings.[2][5] He earned a bachelor's degree in marketing from St. Mary's College of Maryland and a Juris Doctor from William Mitchell College of Law in 1999.[2] Before entering politics, Duffy gained national recognition as a professional lumberjack athlete, becoming a two-time world champion in the 90-foot speed climb and a three-time champion in the 60-foot climb.[3] He worked his way through law school by performing in lumberjack shows and exhibitions across Wisconsin and the country. Duffy also appeared on MTV's "The Real World: Boston" and "Road Rules: All Stars," where he met his wife, Rachel Campos-Duffy. The couple has been married for 25 years and has nine children together, making them America's first and longest-married reality television couple.[2][4] Duffy's legal career began as a special prosecutor in Ashland County, Wisconsin, before being appointed district attorney in 2002, a position he held until 2010.[2] During his tenure, he brought over 100 cases to trial with a success rate exceeding 90% and was particularly dedicated to prosecuting child sex crimes.[4] In 2010, he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Wisconsin's 7th congressional district until 2019.[1][2] During his nearly nine years in Congress, he served on the House Financial Services Committee and co-chaired the Great Lakes Task Force, focusing on financial services and economic policy. He was the lead sponsor of PROMESA, legislation addressing Puerto Rico's debt crisis.[2] After leaving Congress, Duffy co-hosted "The Bottom Line" on Fox Business Network starting in 2023.[2] Following his appointment as Transportation Secretary, he additionally began serving as acting NASA administrator on July 9, 2025.[2][5]

James Frederick Bridenstine, born June 15, 1975, is an American politician and aerospace executive who served as the 13th Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) from April 23, 2018, to January 20, 2021. He was nominated by President Donald Trump and confirmed by the U.S. Senate, becoming the first elected official to lead NASA. Bridenstine previously represented Oklahoma’s First Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2013 to 2018, where he served on the Armed Services Committee and the Science, Space and Technology Committee. During his tenure at NASA, Bridenstine oversaw a workforce of approximately 70,000 and an annual budget of $23 billion. He led the agency through a period of renewed focus on human space exploration, most notably launching the Artemis program, which aims to return humans to the Moon and prepare for future missions to Mars. Under his leadership, NASA advanced the development of the Orion crew capsule and the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, and initiated the construction of the Gateway lunar space station. Bridenstine also supported the agency’s aeronautics research, including the development of the X-59 quiet supersonic aircraft and the X-57 all-electric airplane, as well as the expansion of Earth-observing satellite fleets and the successful launch of the Mars rover Perseverance. Before his government service, Bridenstine was a naval aviator, flying combat missions in Iraq and Afghanistan and accumulating over 1,900 flight hours. He holds a triple major from Rice University in Economics, Business, and Psychology, and an MBA from Cornell University. Since leaving NASA, Bridenstine has remained active in the aerospace sector. He is currently the managing partner of The Artemis Group, a speaker, media contributor, and executive of Government Operations for United Launch Alliance, where he leads policy and stakeholder engagement efforts.