Crisis immediately greets Duffy as he takes over Transportation Department

The midair collision at Reagan National Airport on Wednesday night has presented Sean Duffy with a major crisis just hours after he was sworn in as secretary of transportation.

The midair collision at Reagan National Airport on Wednesday night has presented Sean Duffy with a major crisis just hours after he was sworn in as secretary of transportation. Duffy will not lead the investigation into the crash that led to the presumed deaths of 67 people — the National Transportation Safety Board will lead the inquiry and the Federal Aviation Administration will assist. But Duffy will be the de facto public face of the Trump administration’s leadership in the crisis — he was the first person President Donald Trump brought to the podium after speaking about the crash from the White House — and he’ll also be tasked with addressing the inevitable questions that will come from the tragedy, including a nationwide shortage of air traffic controllers and any potential changes to the Washington, DC-area airspace. In remarks early Thursday morning, Duffy said the collision was “preventable.” “Everyone who flies in American skies expects that we fly safely, that when you depart an airport, you get to your destination,” Duffy told reporters. “That didn’t happen last night, and I know that President Trump, his administration, the FAA, the DOT, we will not rest until we have answers for the families and for the flying public.” Duffy, a former US representative and Fox Business host, was sworn in Wednesday after being confirmed the day before. As transportation secretary, Duffy is leading 55,000 employees and will grapple with some of the most complex challenges facing the nation as they oversee aviation, roadways and rails. Other issues on his plate include Boeing’s string of quality control and manufacturing issues, airline labor union strike threats and climate-focused initiatives such as electric vehicles and charging stations. Meanwhile, the FAA, which is part of the DOT, is operating without a permanent administrator since Mike Whitaker stepped down earlier this month. A number of other leadership positions are also vacant, the FAA’s website shows. In remarks late Thursday morning, Trump announced that Chris Rocheleau, a former chief operating officer of National Business Aviation Association, will lead the FAA in an acting capacity.