President-elect Donald Trump‘s transition team is reportedly considering several individuals, including a former Uber executive and three Republican congressmen, for the position of U.S. Department of Transportation chief.
What Happened: The team is considering Emil Michael, a former Uber executive and Trump donor, and three current or former Republican congressmen: Sam Graves, Garret Graves, and Sean Duffy to head the Department of Transportation, Reuters reported, citing multiple sources familiar with the matter.
Michael, known for his social connections with billionaire and Trump supporter Elon Musk, is reportedly a strong contender for the role. Other tech executives who backed Trump have also advocated for Michael, the report said, while adding that other contenders could also emerge for the role.
Why It Matters: According to Reuters, Musk is expected to exert influence on the pick of Transportation Department chief.
The billionaire contributed millions to a super PAC that supported Trump’s presidential campaign and also actively campaigned for the President-elect in the swing state of Pennsylvania, sealing his position as a major player in Trump’s campaign and circle.
The Department of Transportation has several departments under it which regulate Musk’s companies including SpaceX and EV giant Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA). While the Federal Aviation Administration licenses commercial space launch facilities and private sector launches, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration regulates automakers and determines regulations for autonomous vehicles.
Musk’s Tesla is actively working towards enabling autonomous driving with its full self-driving (FSD) driver assistance technology. However, FSD has often come under the NHTSA’s radar over vehicle crashes where FSD was deployed.
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