On his second day as the head of the United States Department of Transportation ( DOT
), Sean Duffy has signed several memorandums, including policies targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
Targeting ‘woke’ policies
In a statement on January 29, the DOT said that Duffy authorized a series of actions in accordance with Donald Trump’s, the President of the US, agenda that targets ‘woke’ policies and rolls back burdensome and costly regulations, restore economic growth, and ensure that the Department’s policies align with Trump’s priorities.
“These actions deliver on the President’s commitment to rescind harmful policies enacted under the Biden-Harris Administration and reaffirm USDOT’s focus on safety, efficiency, economic prosperity, and regulatory reform.”
Photo: DOT
Duffy stated that these actions marked an important step in restoring governance based on common sense and merit, adding that with Trump in office, the DOT was moving to eliminate excessive regulations that have hindered economic growth, increased expenses for Americans, and prioritized “far-left agendas over practical solutions.”
Whether the latter means that Duffy will also move to potentially remove the air passenger protections enacted by Joe Biden, the former President of the US, and Pete Buttigieg, the former Secretary of Transportation, remains unclear.
“The American people deserve an efficient, safe, and pro-growth transportation system based on sound decision-making, not political ideologies. These actions will help us deliver on that promise.”
Related
Senate Confirms Trump Nominee Sean Duffy As Head Of Department Of Transportation
Sean Duffy already remarked that the DOT has been working hard to remove “government overreach.”
Eliminating environmental justice in minority and low-income populations
The memorandum published by the DOT detailed that three Departamental Orders were canceled, namely the DOT Equity Council, climate change adaption and resilience policy for DOT’s operational assets, and DOT actions to address environmental justice in minority populations and low-income populations.
According to the document, this will outline the initial steps that the Department will take to implement the provisions of numerous executive orders signed by Trump that direct Federal agencies to identify and eliminate orders, directives, rules, regulations, notices, guidance documents, funding agreements, programs, and policy statements that were adopted “between noon on January 20, 2021, and noon on January 20, 2025.” As a result, Duffy was essentially targeting everything that was done during the Biden administration regarding “climate change, “greenhouse gas” emissions, racial equity, gender identity, [DEI] goals, environmental justice, or the Justice 40 initiative.”
Photo: Thierry Weber | Shutterstock
Numerous stakeholders have warned that the climate change crisis is accelerating, with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) warning that 2024 was the hottest year on record and that climate change intensified 26 of the 29 weather events studied by World Weather Attribution. In the US, transportation is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, with a 28% share in 2022, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
7% of transportation emissions came from commercial aircraft, with ‘other aircraft’ adding another 2%, EPA’s data showed.
Related
United & American CEOs Go Quiet On DEI After Trump Inauguration
Both American Airlines and United Airlines did not directly answer whether they would change their DEI policies in the wake of the new administration.
Harmful and restrictive regulations
The DOT concluded that the actions marked a shift in regulation, economic policy, and government oversight. As such, by eliminating “harmful and restrictive” regulations and prioritizing economic growth, the DOT is fully aligned with Trump’s agenda, the statement read.
The test of whether this will result in Duffy also targeting air travelers’ protections, including the rulemaking for airlines and travel agents to disclose the actual cost of a ticket, could come soon.
Photo: Steve Heap | Shutterstock
On January 28, the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit returned the DOT’s April 2024 rule that would have mandated airlines and travel agents to disclose fees upfront to the Department, arguing that while the agency did have the authority to issue such a rule, it had violated the Administrative Procedure Act (APA).
As a result, the rule enacted by Buttigieg will have to be revised by Duffy and his administration, which could view the mandate, protecting passengers from deceptive practices, as more “harmful and restrictive” regulations.
Related
US Court Blocks Airline Fee Disclosure Rules Set By Biden Administration
The Appeals Court ruled that while the DOT had the power to issue such rules, the rulemaking process had some procedural gaps.
