Despite the media's best efforts to try to paint the Trump administration as out of touch and tyrannical, there has been a concerted effort from most of the President's top officials to listen to their constituents.
In just over 100 days, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has met with more warfighters, even doing morning workouts with them, than Lloyd Austin did over his entire tenure. In her mission to end the Department of Education, Linda McMahon is listening to parents in contrast to the Biden administration, which labeled them 'domestic terrorists.' And Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has opened up the White House Briefing Room to many new voices, much to the chagrin of the dead legacy media.
This weekend, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy continued this trend by opening up his X feed to feedback from Americans, asking everyone to let him know how to make traveling -- specifically traveling with families -- great again.
Tell me how we can Make Traveling with Family Great Again!
— Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) April 27, 2025
There’s no better place to start a family than the USA so I want to make it easier for you to travel with your kids.
Here’s your chance to tell me, your Transportation Secretary, what I can do to make travel easier… pic.twitter.com/TiveRkfd3E
The post was overwhelmed with thousands of responses, and it doesn't take a Rhodes scholar to figure out the most popular one.
Dump face recognition and the TSA!
— Spitfire (@DogRightGirl) April 27, 2025
Dismantling the useless taxpayer burden known as TSA is a good start.
— Stone Thompson (@Stone1776Tom) April 27, 2025
eliminate the TSA.
— el gato malo (@boriquagato) April 27, 2025
let airports handle their own security.
Hmm. We're sensing a theme here.
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Unfortunately, Duffy cannot end the TSA, at least not on his own, as his daughter pointed out.
To everyone suggesting my dad get rid of TSA: he can't. TSA falls under DHS. Take it up with @Sec_Noem (and you should!) https://t.co/YKCKxncL1m
— Evita Duffy-Alfonso (@evitaduffy_1) April 28, 2025
Duffy cannot end the TSA, but he can take it up with Homeland Security.
There were a number of other suggestions that DID fall under Duffy's jurisdiction, however.
End the practice of work visa foreign truck drivers. Do it yesterday. https://t.co/hCrOPnSGkY pic.twitter.com/ooVe2h1yXS
— Still Boneless (@still_boneless) April 27, 2025
Ban all illegals and foreigners who can’t speak English from driving trucks
— Douglass Mackey (@DougMackeyCase) April 28, 2025
That seems like a good idea. And, hey, guess what happened on Monday morning?
Stay tuned! Today @POTUS and I will be making a big announcement to make our roadways safer and put American truckers first 🇺🇸 https://t.co/pXx0rRnETG
— Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) April 28, 2025
Duffy didn't openly cite the posts that suggested the idea (and this was likely in the works long before last weekend), but it shows the responsiveness of the administration to take swift action.
Duffy also promised to post the findings from his question on X, something no one in the previous administration would ever have considered.
Thank you for the tremendous response, America! ⁰⁰My team will go through all of these comments & put together a list of best ideas which I will post on X. It’s very clear that TSA is the #1 travel complaint. That falls under the Department of Homeland Security. I’ll discuss…
— Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) April 28, 2025
Not only did he promise transparency, but, as many people suggested, he also committed to discussing ending the TSA with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
Many other suggestions were specifically related to families, which was a key part of Duffy's original post. Here are just a few.
Families with minor children having to pay extra to sit together is discrimination. It is a safety issue to be seated apart. https://t.co/KeE9X4LDRO
— Bethany S. Mandel (@bethanyshondark) April 27, 2025
Add changing tables to Amtrak North East regional trains please https://t.co/15MZ8YeHDZ
— Ivana Greco (@IvanaDGreco) April 27, 2025
How is it possible that Amtrak does not have these already?
Thanks for listening!! Airlines nickel and dime ppl to the point that it isn’t worth flying. And it’s esp hard on young families. You shouldn’t have to pay extra to sit with your young child. And the fees for a checked bag are insane. You’re traveling, you need luggage. It’s…
— Julie Gunlock (@JGunlock) April 27, 2025
The post continues:
It’s gross that they charge for everything individually. Also, please require TSA agents to take classes in manners! They’ve become power hungry little jerks eager to scream and intimidate people. Awful.
Checked baggage fees are a scam. And they are particularly hard on traveling families.
As for the rudeness and unprofessionalism of far too many TSA agents, don't even get me started.
Stop making me pay extra to sit with my underage children, one who has special needs.
— Mrs. FD (@ineedanothernap) April 27, 2025
Behind the complaints about TSA, this was, by far, the most popular suggestion. And it seems like this should be pretty easy for Duffy to accomplish.
There were almost 20,000 replies and quote tweets of Duffy's post, so I can't get through them all. But I wanted to highlight his X post for a few reasons.
First of all, Duffy is clearly embracing that part of his responsibility is to listen to the American people. That is such a welcome change, not just from the past administration, but from many previous administrations.
Secondly, as he noted in his follow-up post, Duffy not only recognizes that his job is to listen, but he also understands that he ANSWERS to citizens. His commitment to provide public responses is another long-overdue change.
Finally, while it is only tangentially related to the issue of transportation, it is so refreshing to see leaders in this administration welcoming and encouraging families to spend time together, including traveling.
There's nothing wrong with people who aren't married and don't have children. I am not, and I do not. When I travel, my only companion is my dog, and that's only when I am driving somewhere. (Bringing him with me on a plane would ... umm ... not work out well for anyone, LOL.)
But the family vacation is a time-honored American tradition. It's wonderful to see Duffy make that his top priority in making travel great again for ALL Americans.
Time will tell if Duffy will follow through (or be able to follow through) on revamping the DOT like every federal bureaucracy sorely needs.
But he is starting with his head and his mindset in the right place, which is always the best way to start anything.
