President Trump announced Monday his selection of David Cummins to lead the Transportation Security Administration following challenging months when the agency struggled with unpaid workers and extended wait times at airports nationwide.
The nominee previously served as a senior vice president with Serco, a contracting firm that partners with government agencies at various levels. If confirmed, Cummins would inherit leadership of an agency still recovering from the historic government shutdown that concluded in recent weeks.
Throughout the shutdown, TSA workers under current acting administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill faced periods without compensation, resulting in massive absenteeism and hundreds of resignations. The staffing crisis created significant delays for air travelers and sparked political debates over responsibility for the Department of Homeland Security closure.
According to what appeared to be his LinkedIn page before it was removed, Cummins brings transportation expertise from his time at Serco and claims co-ownership of “a dozen patents in transportation systems.” The profile also highlighted his role as operations director for the 2002 Winter Olympics held in Salt Lake City.
Serco representatives have not yet responded to requests for comment regarding Cummins.
