Former Rep. Sean Duffy (R-Wis.), and President-elect Donald Trump‘s pick to lead the Department of Transportation, pledged Wednesday to maintain rigorous oversight of Boeing Co. (NYSE:BA) and continue safety investigations into Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) during his Senate confirmation hearing.
What Happened: Duffy told the Senate Commerce Committee that Boeing needs “tough love” as it grapples with recent safety failures, including January 2024’s Alaska Airlines door panel blowout incident involving a 737 Max 9 aircraft.
“We have to make sure they are implementing their safety plan,” Duffy said, emphasizing his commitment to working with the Federal Aviation Administration to restore global confidence in the aircraft manufacturer.
The former Wisconsin congressman also committed to allowing the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to proceed with its investigation into Tesla’s Full Self-Driving software. The probe, launched last October, covers approximately 2.4 million vehicles following four reported crashes.
When questioned by Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) about potential conflicts given Tesla CEO Elon Musk‘s status as a Trump campaign donor, Duffy emphasized his independence. “I commit to this committee and to you that I will let NHTSA do their investigation,” he said, noting he hasn’t met industry executives.
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