
Who is Sean Duffy, the unexpected choice for NASA's interim administrator?
A former Republican congressman from Wisconsin, Duffy's resume includes stints as a lumberjack athlete, reality TV star, prosecutor and Fox News host.He was featured on MTV's "The Real World: Boston" in 1997 and met his his wife, "Fox & Friends Weekend" co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy, on the set of MTV's "Road Rules: All Stars" in 1998.Duffy later worked as a special prosecutor and the district attorney of Ashland County in northern Wisconsin. He won election to Congress as part of the tea party wave in 2010.FROM UNDERDOG TO POLITICAL FIGUREWhen he first ran for Congress, Duffy was considered an underdog. But he attracted national attention with his campaign ads, which featured him dramatically chopping wood while donning a red flannel shirt. He told voters he came from a 'long line of lumberjacks' and would bring his axe to Washington.Duffy served in the House for nearly nine years. He was a member of the Financial Services Committee and chair of the subcommittee on insurance and housing.After leaving Congress in 2019, citing the need to care for his growing family, Duffy became a contributor to Fox News and one of Trump's most visible defenders on cable television. He served as co-host of 'The Bottom Line' on Fox Business before being picked for the new administration.He was one of several Fox personalities that Trump chose to fill his Cabinet, including Pete Hegseth, the new defense secretary.Duffy has nine children, the youngest of whom was born with a heart condition.This follows reports that the administration plans to cut over 2,100 senior NASA staff through early retirements, buyouts, and delayed resignations, aligning with Trump's announcement.- EndsWith inputs from AgenciesMust Watch
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)

First Post
23 minutes ago
- First Post
‘They want to settle now': Trump links trade deals to peace as Thailand, Cambodia agree to talks
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday he believed both Thailand and Cambodia wanted to settle their differences after he told the leaders of both countries that he would not conclude trade deals with them unless they ended their fighting. read more US President Donald Trump said Sunday he believed Thailand and Cambodia were ready to resolve their conflict following his warning that trade agreements with Washington would be on hold unless the fighting stopped. Speaking to reporters in Turnberry, Scotland before a meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Trump said, 'I spoke to both of the prime ministers, and I think by the time I got off, I think they want to settle now.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Trump added that he expected officials from both countries to engage in talks in the coming days. The current wave of violence began Thursday following a land mine blast that injured five Thai soldiers. Each side has accused the other of sparking the conflict. Ambassadors have been recalled, and Thailand has shut its border crossings with Cambodia. Despite growing calls for de-escalation, active fighting continued on Sunday in multiple parts of the contested region. Thailand reported one more soldier killed on Sunday, raising its death toll to 21, most of them civilians. Cambodia said it has lost 13 lives. Over 131,000 people have been displaced within Thailand, while more than 37,000 Cambodians have fled homes in three border provinces. Many border villages now lie abandoned, with schools and hospitals closed. The UN Security Council has urged ASEAN to mediate an end to the crisis, while Human Rights Watch condemned reports of cluster munitions—prohibited under international law—being used in populated zones. The group called on both governments to prioritise civilian protection. Tensions between Thailand and Cambodia over their 800-kilometre border have simmered for decades. While past flare-ups have generally been brief, the current escalation follows a deadly confrontation in May that led to the death of a Cambodian soldier and further strained diplomatic relations. With inputs from agencies


India.com
23 minutes ago
- India.com
Parliament Braces For Uproar? Congress Issues Whip, Gears Up For Fiery Operation Sindoor Faceoff
Congress on Sunday issued a three-line whip to all its Lok Sabha MPs, directing them to be present in the House for the following three days, beginning from Monday (July 28), as the debate on the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor is scheduled to take place. This is a step by the grand old party to ensure full attendance during Parliament's ongoing Monsoon Session. The discussion on Operation Sindoor and the Pahalgam terror attack was a consistent demand of the Opposition, and thus, it is a high-stakes debate. Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said that the debate on Operation Sindoor will be held for 16 hours in the Lok Sabha and for 16 hours in the Rajya Sabha. The first week of the Monsoon Session 2025 was marked by constant adjournments, major disruptions, and a surprise exit of Jagdeep Dhankhar as Vice President. Op Sindoor Discussion In Parl Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is likely to initiate the discussion on Operation Sindhoor in the Lok Sabha on Monday. Furthermore, sources cited by ANI have informed that Home Minister Amit Shah, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, and BJP MPs Anurag Thakur and Nishikant Dubey are also expected to take part in the discussion in the Lower House. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also expected to take part in the discussion. Meanwhile, the discussion on Operation Sindoor is expected to take place on Tuesday (July 29), and the Defence Minister and the EAM could participate in the discussion along with the PM. Opposition In Parliament Opposition parties have been demanding a discussion on the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor and have sought the government's clarification over US President Donald Trump's repeated claims that he brokered a ceasefire between India and Pakistan. The Opposition parties had been demanding PM Modi's presence during the debate. Since the Prime Minister travelled abroad on a two-nation visit this week, the discussion has been scheduled for next week. Apart from this, according to ANI, the floor leaders of the INDIA bloc parties will meet on Monday at 10 am to discuss the strategy for the second week of the monsoon session.


India.com
23 minutes ago
- India.com
Worked Hard for 5 Years, but SM Krishna Became CM Just 4 Months After Joining Party: Kharge
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday expressed regret over missing the opportunity to become the Chief Minister of Karnataka, recalling how, despite his hard work, SM Krishna, who had joined the party just four months earlier, was chosen for the post. Expressing dismay over the Gandhis' decision to overlook him and appoint S.M. Krishna as the Chief Minister of Karnataka, Kharge said that despite working tirelessly for five years to bring the party to power, his efforts felt wasted. Kharge noted that there have been several such instances and declined to elaborate further. "I too became the CLP leader and worked hard to bring the party to power. Eventually, our government did come to power, but SM Krishna, who had joined the party just four months earlier at the time, became the Chief Minister. All our efforts felt like they went in vain. I had worked tirelessly for five years, and he walked in just four months prior and became CM. There have been many such instances. It doesn't look good to speak about everything on the same day," IANS quoted, Kharge as saying. S.M. Krishna served as the Chief Minister of Karnataka from 1999 to 2004. During that time, Mallikarjun Kharge held ministerial roles in his cabinet and continued to serve under subsequent chief ministers until he entered national politics by contesting the 2009 Lok Sabha elections. In 2022, Kharge, widely viewed as the Gandhis' preferred choice, was elected Congress president after defeating Shashi Tharoor in the party's internal polls. There has long been speculation that caste dynamics influenced the decision to appoint S.M. Krishna as Chief Minister over Kharge, despite the latter's seniority and long-standing contributions to the party. Krishna belongs to the Vokkaliga community, a dominant caste in Karnataka, while Kharge comes from a Scheduled Caste background, which many believe played a role in him being overlooked.