President Donald Trump's talk of a new "golden age" for America is an invitation to reduce regulations and spur innovation, according to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.

In a recent interview, Duffy said the idea of America reclaiming its former greatness is about getting government out of the way to let people actually do what they do best, which is run businesses.

Duffy pointed to the president's remarks during his address to Congress this week, where Trump described a coming "golden age" for the country.

"I think that's really important," Duffy said in an interview with Scripps News.. "I think that's what President Trump did last night."

One of Duffy's top priorities is hiring more air traffic controllers, a longstanding challenge the department has faced. Duffy said the government needs to recruit more young people to the highly technical profession, which can pay over $160,000 annually after training.

"They don't know that air traffic control is a great career with great money," Duffy said. "We have to advertise that."

While Duffy acknowledged recent tragic aviation incidents, he insisted air travel remains the safest form of transportation. He said the department will seek innovative approaches not just in aviation but across all modes of transportation.

As a former congressman, Duffy is aware of the difficulties in driving change through the federal bureaucracy. But he expressed optimism about making progress during this "golden age" for American travel and industry.