Former Charlotte City Council member Tariq Bokhari just resigned from the Trump administration as deputy administrator of the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), five months into the role.
He announced his departure on social media, stating “the timing is right to hand the baton to the next wave of leaders,” as he plans to return to Charlotte and help his wife’s campaign for his old District 6 council seat.
I was brought into the US DOT in the first wave of this new administration to establish a new framework, set up processes, and lay out a gameplan for not just the next 4 years, but the next generation.
During that time I worked as hard as I’ve ever worked, and with a great team…
— Tariq Scott Bokhari (@FinTechInnov8r) September 4, 2025
During his brief tenure, Bokhari cleared a backlog of transit grants, reduced bureaucratic delays, launched an artificial intelligence framework, and laid the groundwork for a long-term autonomous transit strategy.
A Republican, Bokhari served four terms on Charlotte’s City Council before taking the federal post earlier this year. He steps away at a critical moment, with the Republican primary for his District 6 seat scheduled for next Tuesday.
