Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy's return to his reality-TV roots is drawing plenty of attention, though not for the reasons he would hope. Duffy is starring in "The Great American Road Trip," a five-part YouTube series timed to the nation's 250th birthday, featuring a cross-country journey with his wife, Fox News host Rachel Campos-Duffy, and their nine children. In the trailer, Duffy—who met his wife while filming MTV's Road Rules: All Stars—pitches the project as part travelogue, part civics lesson: "To love America is to see America," he says, per CNN. The family meets with President Trump, Kid Rock, and country musician John Rich along the way.
The show has triggered a wave of criticism as gas prices hover above $4.50 a gallon following the war with Iran. One YouTube commenter likened the series to "going on a foodie tour during the Great Depression," while another accused the couple of enjoying "free trips with celebrity visits" as Americans struggle with basic costs, per NBC News. Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg called the project "brutally out of touch," arguing that many families "can't afford road trips anymore, because Trump and his war put gas prices through the roof." California Gov. Gavin Newsom also questioned the optics, while Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker claimed taxpayers had covered the "7-month road trip."
Duffy and the Transportation Department say the backlash is misplaced. A department spokesperson blamed Democrat policies for high gas prices and said public funds covered only official travel. Duffy noted that all production expenses were covered by a nonprofit, The Great American Road Trip Inc., and that his family received no salary or royalties. Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington responds that production was "funded by the very industries his agency oversees," per CNN. Production sponsors include Boeing, Toyota, Shell, United Airlines, and Royal Caribbean.
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