Trump Selects Steven Bradbury as Deputy Transportation Secretary Nominee

Key Takeaways

President Donald Trump has nominated Steven Bradbury for deputy secretary of transportation following Polly Trottenberg’s resignation.
Bradbury previously served as general counsel for the Department of Transportation and is affiliated with The Heritage Foundation.
His confirmation may face scrutiny based on his past statements on regulatory policies and the upcoming nomination hearings.

Trump Nominates Bradbury as Deputy Secretary of Transportation

President Donald Trump has nominated Steven Bradbury to be the deputy secretary of transportation, taking over from Polly Trottenberg, who resigned amid the administrative transition, a common occurrence during such changes.

Bradbury previously held the role of general counsel for the U.S. Department of Transportation under Trump. He also worked in the Department of Justice during George W. Bush’s presidency. Commenting on his nomination, Bradbury expressed gratitude for the opportunity, stating he looks forward to rejoining the dedicated staff of the Department of Transportation (DOT) in support of Secretary Sean Duffy, a sentiment he shared on LinkedIn.

Currently a fellow at The Heritage Foundation, Bradbury has been associated with the organization’s controversial Project 2025 document. In his role at the think tank, he criticized the DOT’s regulatory authority over fuel economy standards, claiming that it was being misused to advance the Biden-Harris administration’s aggressive electric vehicle (EV) initiatives. His opposition extends to the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) updated federal emissions standards for passenger vehicles and trucks, which have also drawn criticism from some Republican lawmakers in Congress.

Trottenberg addressed the change in administration during a January 17 interview with Streetsblog USA, acknowledging that the new administration would likely exhibit “differences in philosophy” concerning transportation policies. Despite these potential shifts, she emphasized that the DOT enjoys a robust tradition of bipartisanship.

In a related development, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation unanimously advanced Sean Duffy’s nomination as the Secretary of Transportation by a vote of 28-0. However, the success of Bradbury’s nomination may hinge on the outcomes of future hearings where he will need to address his previously expressed views.

Bradbury’s confirmation in 2017 as general counsel at the DOT was contentious, resulting in a narrow Senate vote of 50-47, with opposition coming from 45 Democrats and two Republicans. As of now, there is no scheduled date for his nomination hearing in the Senate, which could affect his chances for confirmation this time around.

With the nomination process moving forward, all eyes will be on the upcoming hearings to gauge how Bradbury addresses concerns over his regulatory stance and its implications for transportation policies in a new political landscape.

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