U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned Friday that Chicago and Boston are at risk of losing federal support unless local leaders swiftly take steps to improve safety on their transit systems. 

In a Friday news release, Duffy condemned what he described as the two cities’ “failure” to protect riders and transit workers, citing a string of violent incidents on the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) and Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) — two of the nation’s largest transit systems. 

Among them were the assault of a 27-year CTA veteran who was punched and thrown onto the tracks, an elderly woman shoved off an MBTA bus, and a case in which a man used his belt to assault passengers, as noted in the Department of Transportation’s news release. 

“Safety will always be at the forefront of everything we do, and I’m proud of the prompt response and investigation by the MBTA Transit Police that led to the arrest of this individual,” Eng said in a statement. “The public deserves a safe transportation system, and I want them to know that this conduct will not be tolerated anywhere on our system.”

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks alongside a photo of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska, who was allegedly killed by Decarlos Brown Jr. (R), on a light rail train in Charlotte, North Carolina, during a press briefing in the Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House in Washington, DC, September 9, 2025.  (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)

The letters are the latest in Duffy’s push for transit agencies to curb fare evasion and improve safety. Earlier this year, he issued similar warnings to transit systems in Washington, New York, and Los Angeles, as noted in the news release.

Last month, 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska was fatally attacked on a North Carolina light-rail train — a case that sparked national outrage. 

The CTA and MBTA did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.