Sean Duffy, the nation's transportation secretary, is facing sharp criticism after announcing plans for a seven-month family road trip that will be filmed for an upcoming reality television series. The backlash centers on what critics call poor timing, given a cascade of crises that have battered the transportation sector in recent months.
Duffy revealed details of "The Great American Road Trip" to Fox News on Friday, describing it as a wholesome journey across America with his family. He framed the project as a way to celebrate the country's 250th birthday and encourage Americans to explore their nation rather than remain glued to social media.
"Over the course of seven months, we just kind of found these moments where I might do some work," Duffy said. "Our motto was 'to love America is to see America.'"
The announcement collided almost immediately with accusations of tone deafness. The transportation sector has weathered multiple disruptions in recent months. A partial government shutdown between February and April, triggered by disputes over Department of Homeland Security funding, forced TSA agents to work without pay and triggered widespread resignations. The staffing shortages led to lengthy delays at airports across the country.
That shutdown was followed in April by a serious incident at LaGuardia Airport in New York, where an Air Canada jet collided with a fire truck, killing two pilots. Federal investigators are still examining the crash.
Adding to transportation woes has been a dramatic spike in fuel prices. Geopolitical tensions involving the United States, Israel, and Iran have disrupted global oil markets. The resulting surge in gas and jet fuel costs contributed to the collapse of Spirit Airlines, a major budget carrier that had operated for two decades.
Chasten Buttigieg, whose husband Pete served as transportation secretary under the Biden administration, did not hold back on social media. He highlighted what he described as the hypocrisy of the Duffy family complaining about his husband working from their son's hospital bedside while now promoting a months-long taxpayer-funded vacation.
"The same Duffys who threw endless fits on national television when Pete was working from our son's ICU bedside are now bragging about their multi-month, taxpayer-funded family road trip while gas and grocery prices soar for American families because of Trump's war of choice," Buttigieg posted on X. "How much more unfocused, unserious, and out of touch can you be?"
Rachel Campos-Duffy, Duffy's wife, defended the project on social media, asserting that production costs were covered by a nonprofit entity called The Great American Road Trip Inc., not taxpayers. She also noted that the filming happened during brief stops spanning one to two days over the seven-month period, suggesting minimal disruption to the secretary's work schedule.
The show has also drawn scrutiny over its corporate sponsors, which include Boeing. The aerospace giant has faced multiple investigations into aircraft safety, adding another layer of controversy to the project.
Author James Rodriguez: "Announcing a feel-good family TV project while your department is managing airport chaos, fuel crises, and fresh crash investigations is a gamble that doesn't appear to be paying off."
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