United States Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is promoting how he has spent parts of the past seven months filming a reality TV series with his family, to showcase how great America is.
In this post:
Sean Duffy’s seven-month road trip project
Sean Duffy has released the trailer for the “Great American Road Trip,” whereby he took his family on a trip across the United States, to celebrate the country’s 250th birthday. The narrative is that “to love America is to see America,” so the idea is that Duffy, his wife, and some of their nine children, went on a road trip across the country.
The trailer for the series can be seen below, and the five-part series should be released in the coming weeks.
On his official Transportation Secretary account, Duffy talks about how “for decades our kids have been told they should be ashamed of our country & founders,” and that “it’s time to push back on those Marxist narratives,” and that “one way to do that is to “hit the road and SHOW them our beautiful country & historic sites.”
Of course Duffy is no stranger to TV, since Duffy and his wife even met on a reality TV show (specifically, MTV’s “Road Rules: All Stars”). And the president is no stranger to reality TV either, so was clearly enthusiastic about the concept.
In terms of optics, this might not be the best time to promote an American road trip, given the increase in gas prices in recent months, which have made such a trip significantly more expensive for many.
Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg took to social media to chime in on this concept, writing that “I love a good road trip, but this is brutally out of touch: a Trump Cabinet member making a documentary about himself while regular families can’t afford road trips anymore, because Trump and his war put gas prices through the roof.”
Are taxpayers paying for this road trip series?
Many people are (understandably) asking who is funding this series, and whether taxpayers are on the hook for this. It’s a fair question, with one former Department of Transportation (DOT) staffer writing “using taxpayer dollars and federal staff resources to produce what is essentially a reality TV show for a Cabinet Secretary is a gross misuse of public resources.”
In fairness to Duffy, it appears this might’ve actually been funded by private parties. When you go to the website for the concept (thanks to View from the Wing for flagging this), you’ll see a list of “sponsors powering America’s road trip.” As you can see, there are a variety of sponsors.
It’s logical to see Toyota and Shell sponsoring, while it’s a bit funnier to see Boeing and United sponsoring. Now, even with this being privately funded, this does seem to present a general conflict of interest, not that this is anything new. Should companies in the transportation sector really be making donations to a personal venture of the person who regulates the transportation industry?
It still seems like United CEO Scott Kirby has failed to get his return on investment on the company’s donations to Trump’s team, between this and the $1 million donated for Trump’s inauguration. Was it really just a merger with American that Kirby had in mind all along? He’s not going to use that goodwill (and impeccable timing) to take over JetBlue?
Bottom line
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has launched a new series, which was filmed over seven months. It’s called the “Great American Road Trip,” and the idea is that it’s supposed to show off America’s beauty. The United States definitely has a lot of pretty sights, and there’s a lot to explore and see.
As you’d expect, the concept isn’t being well received by all, in terms of him doing this while in office, concerns over the way this is being funded, plus the poor timing in terms of the state of gas prices.
What do you make of Duffy’s “Great American Road Trip?”
At least he's not working. Should do this for all the cabinet.
They are so corrupt... like they're Marxist or something.
Statement from U.S. DOT spokesman Nathaniel Sizemore:
“The series was filmed over the course of many months in small, one day or two stops.”
“Production costs were paid for by the Great American Road Trip, Inc. — not taxpayers. The Secretary and his family do not receive any financial compensation.”
It’s cute of you that you actually believe this
Sure buddy, it was all privately funded*.
*By companies with business before the regulatory agency that Duffy runs. Read: They paid for his road-trip vacation. The conservative party I grew up in would have called that what it is: bribery and corruption. Yall would have still called it bribery and corruption in these companies were funding a Buttigieg vacation a few years ago. You don't care about what's moral or legal, you only care about partisan bullshit.
You did it again Ben. What could have been an informative post, you had to put Anti-Marxist in the title. Look what it turned into. Several subsequent posts that belong in the sewer. You didn't bring your followers together, but they are more divided than ever. Or was that what you were looking for?
At the very least, this can be added to the list of Corrupt Conduct of the Trump Administration for prosecutors when the voters finally wake up and toss this odious llot to the wayside.
stop already you have tooo much TDS
We have a government full of dipshits.
*sigh* yup
No, just the idiots appointed by the current occupant. A bunch of unserious people who think running the country is a game. The career folks are trying to do their jobs in spite of all this crap swirling around.
Good to see that Duffy is not letting the responsibilities of his day job interfere with his playtime. Why should Kash Patel have all the fun.
Pete B took 6 full months off as soon as he got the job as he was on Paternity LEAVE!!!! DAAAA He did it twice during his reign as Secretary...... no one complaints he got his pay check and someone else did his JOB!!!
Don’t let the facts get in the way of your agenda. It was closer to four weeks between August and October in 2021. I’m surprised you’re against family leave, since you’re the pro choice, pro family party, right?
Why is this written so politically. I got to the 3rd sentence and cringed. By the 4th I saw that this was not about seeing America. The country is divided. Our politicians on both sides have made the other side villains. Keep the great articles on travel politically benign. You only will annoy 50% of your followers
Fifty percent? Don’t flatter yourself.
I agree… mayor Pete lol. Why do I care what this imbecile has to say .
The website is Ben’s livelihood. Blog revenues are way down due to people switching to video based content, mandatory privacy settings decreasing ad revenue due to decreased ability to target, widespread use of ad blockers, and Google AI summaries that result in people not clicking through.
So a certain amount of content is going to be written to pay the bills, and politically inflammatory content is tried and true.
Also, Duffy’s the one who framed...
The website is Ben’s livelihood. Blog revenues are way down due to people switching to video based content, mandatory privacy settings decreasing ad revenue due to decreased ability to target, widespread use of ad blockers, and Google AI summaries that result in people not clicking through.
So a certain amount of content is going to be written to pay the bills, and politically inflammatory content is tried and true.
Also, Duffy’s the one who framed what could have been a non partisan affair in a political framing.
This is like Clarence Thomas's free $500K RV. Pay to play, just look at the "sponsors" kthe bribers vs the bribee)
Looking forward to watching it! Thanks Ben for posting.
Putting political theatrics to the side, it legitimately is cheaper to travel abroad than domestic in many situations. People are posting their receipts online proving it. Even with airfare, it can be cheaper to go to Disneyland Tokyo for a week than to Florida. Heck, even Ted Cruz and most of the “anti-Marxist” politicians regularly travel to Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean. This is just weird propaganda not unlike what China and other governments...
Putting political theatrics to the side, it legitimately is cheaper to travel abroad than domestic in many situations. People are posting their receipts online proving it. Even with airfare, it can be cheaper to go to Disneyland Tokyo for a week than to Florida. Heck, even Ted Cruz and most of the “anti-Marxist” politicians regularly travel to Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean. This is just weird propaganda not unlike what China and other governments do - the same governments that our own government claim are “freedom hating” - It’s one thing to do a “travel America” thing but to throw in “anti-Marxist” nonsense is straight up government sanctioned propaganda for people who can’t think for themselves.
Astounding waste of taxpayer money
Like me see. How much of the Chinese population has the financial resources to do a road trip? India? The continent of Africa? Haiti? Should I go on?
If this country is so horrible maybe relocate to one of these countries without the horrible Americans and America. I'm sure the Congo is the perfect place to take your family in a car.
George, you're as clueless as you are predictible.
Of course America is better than those places. And some of us would like to keep it that way, unlike your Dorito God-king.
Great point George! You’re like the stupid version of Tim Dunn, with this exceptionally obtuse and point-missing comment.
Don’t forget to take your nine (nine!) children out of school for seven months while you’re doing that road trip.
So your sayin' that conservatives take their kids out of school to go on road trips.
Can I conclude that democratic socialists take their kids out of school to protest ICE?
China's auto market is 2.5x of the US. You can buy a car there for $12K, unlike the $50K price in the US. China's HSR system is as expansive as the US interstate highway system. Jingoism isn't a substitute for reality.
China has reasonably priced high-speed rail. Who needs road trips?
Be wary of pedos and friends of pedos road tripping.
Did Sean Duffy choose the photo of Arches National Park, or was it Ben making a subtle reference to the problems of the National Park Service under Trump?
For the first time in four years, Arches National Park won’t require visitors to have a timed-entry reservation. The pilot program began in 2022 in response to overcrowding at the southeast Utah park. Arches’ annual visitation jumped by 73.6% in the previous decade to peak at just...
Did Sean Duffy choose the photo of Arches National Park, or was it Ben making a subtle reference to the problems of the National Park Service under Trump?
For the first time in four years, Arches National Park won’t require visitors to have a timed-entry reservation. The pilot program began in 2022 in response to overcrowding at the southeast Utah park. Arches’ annual visitation jumped by 73.6% in the previous decade to peak at just over 1.8 million people.
A National Park Service report released after the program’s first season found that it reduced congestion at the entry gate and around key spots like Delicate Arch and Devils Garden. Park reports from 2023 and 2024 heaped additional praise on the program, saying it relieved crowding and improved the visitor experience. Despite that, the Trump administration ended the timed entry program on Feb. 18, along with similar ones at Glacier and Yosemite, saying the move would expand public access.
On top of the mass firings, budget cuts and government shutdown the park service has endured over the past year, conservation advocates like Linda Mazzu view this latest action as part of a “death by a thousand cuts.” Mazzu is an executive council member with the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks, which has denounced the Trump administration’s decision to end park reservations. She also worked as superintendent of Utah’s Bryce Canyon National Park from 2017-2021.
Nice photo of land stolen in war against people who practiced a form of government that many would consider Marxist.
Well, if Pedolph Hitler's minions are going on publicly-sponsored reality-TV road trips, then everyone should be going on road trips!
Suck it up and BUY THAT $7.00 / gallon gas! Chevron's profits aren't going to goose themselves!
Here we go with the Hitler remarks. OK, you hate Trump. Find some new material TW
So the show focuses on road trips but it sounds like it will promote travel in the US in general. People who live on the East Coast might choose to fly to the West to do a road trip through the national parks. So perfectly logical for UA & Boeing to sponsor. And yes, gas prices are high now but the stock market has never been higher. Most people with 401k’s have never been wealthier...
So the show focuses on road trips but it sounds like it will promote travel in the US in general. People who live on the East Coast might choose to fly to the West to do a road trip through the national parks. So perfectly logical for UA & Boeing to sponsor. And yes, gas prices are high now but the stock market has never been higher. Most people with 401k’s have never been wealthier and never more able to afford a road trip, even with gas prices where they are. Secretary Duffy is doing his job, promoting travel in this country!
"Most people with 401k’s have never been wealthier and never more able to afford a road trip..."
How exactly does an increase in someone's 401(k) help people in the workforce right now? How does that make them "never more able to afford a road trip?"
You neither seem to know what a 401(k) is, nor how it works.
The moron followers of Dear Idiot think we have the greatest econony ever. No one ever thought this was possible!
I'm so old I can remember Trump bragging about gas in Iowa costing less than $2 a gallon. About four months ago. The MAGA defenders should be prepared for talking about 401(k) balances, when the other shoe (well, the S&P 500) drops. The rest of us just have to be patient until it's time to wear our "I Told You So" jackets.
Hope you also follow the dollar index and not just the "stock market". Let us know what you thin about that.
"How exactly does an increase in someone's 401(k) help people in the workforce right now? How does that make them "never more able to afford a road trip?""
Just speculating, but perhaps he meant this from a psychological standpoint. Depending on where someone is in their career, I could see their 401(k) balance influencing their spending and saving decisions prior to retirement. If I’m 50 years old and 2008 happens, I’m much less likely to...
"How exactly does an increase in someone's 401(k) help people in the workforce right now? How does that make them "never more able to afford a road trip?""
Just speculating, but perhaps he meant this from a psychological standpoint. Depending on where someone is in their career, I could see their 401(k) balance influencing their spending and saving decisions prior to retirement. If I’m 50 years old and 2008 happens, I’m much less likely to splurge on travel the next few years. The opposite is also true: after several years of strong market returns, someone who has been consistently saving and investing may feel more financially secure and decide to reduce savings contributions slightly to free up room for discretionary spending before retirement.
"Hope you also follow the dollar index and not just the "stock market". Let us know what you thin about that."
Home currency devaluation is a risk for every citizen, especially for people who spend heavily outside their home currency. One way to mitigate that risk is to hold assets denominated in foreign currencies, particularly international stocks and, ideally, bonds. International stocks are relatively cheap and easy for U.S. investors to access; unhedged international bonds are less accessible unfortunately.
That said, over the long run, fluctuations between major stable currencies like the USD and EUR are generally modest, especially after accounting for interest rates and other macroeconomic factors. I wouldn’t worry too much about this unless you have significant spending obligations in non-USD currencies, such as living abroad. If you live and work in the U.S., occasional swings in the dollar probably shouldn’t materially affect your travel decisions. And if a 20% decline in the USD meaningfully disrupts your travel plans, you may already be operating with a fairly thin financial margin.
Simply more performative distracting crap, for the functionally illiterate, pedophile loving buffoons whose entire identities revolve around flag-waving.
More partisan propaganda.
Sheez, spare me from this mental moron.
In all of my schooling were we never taught about an end game of communism, what this mentally deficient cabinet member is spouting. That is the goal of Marxism and I don’t know a single one of my far left leaning friends clamoring for this.
One is taught to question and it is totally legitimate to question the state of the nation. This strengthens our core...
Sheez, spare me from this mental moron.
In all of my schooling were we never taught about an end game of communism, what this mentally deficient cabinet member is spouting. That is the goal of Marxism and I don’t know a single one of my far left leaning friends clamoring for this.
One is taught to question and it is totally legitimate to question the state of the nation. This strengthens our core democratic values. Oh wait. Of course this administration wants to further slash educational and social spending to enrich themselves and how better to do it than keeping the masses stupid. Yeah, I’m looking at you MAGA Cult.
On the other hand, there is nothing wrong with a social democratic economy. This has nothing to do with communism nor does it mirror the parroting of this fascist right wing administration.
Too bad this administration and the MAGA Cult Faux News watching followers didn’t learn anything in their civics classes.
It is truly saddening to see all the collective lessons the world learned after WWII go forgotten and erased. But what can one expect from a draft dodging pseudo warrior in the White House.
“Private donors” paying for this just like they supposedly are (or were) for the tacky A ballroom.
Lucky could have also posted a picture of the "Great American" road experience which is I-635 as the cover for this article.
The founders of the National Parks and the National Parks Service itself have all had their statues torn down by Communists in one place or another.
I very much doubt you could define communism and I dare you to name the specific "communists" and the specific statues in specific national parks that were torn down. Your MAGA delusions would be hillarious if they were not so sad.
LOL...that "you don't know what Communism is" nonsense doesn't work anymore, Comrade.
Stupid
Yes, tearing down a statute of Ulysses S Grant was stupid.
But that sums up Communists.
I’d love to hear one of these chuds try to explain to me what Marxism actually is.
It's cute to see democrats pretending to care about lower gas prices. They spend their entire time in office blocking drilling, blocking pipelines, openly seeking to bankrupt energy companies through suffocating regulations. California has run refiners out of state and continues to try to block drilling, they happily buy from the middle east though. That's why their prices are the highest in the US, not the bad orange man. Besides, you have your green energy...
It's cute to see democrats pretending to care about lower gas prices. They spend their entire time in office blocking drilling, blocking pipelines, openly seeking to bankrupt energy companies through suffocating regulations. California has run refiners out of state and continues to try to block drilling, they happily buy from the middle east though. That's why their prices are the highest in the US, not the bad orange man. Besides, you have your green energy and your electric cars, what do you care? Climate change no longer an emergency? So disingenuous. Stopping Iran from developing a nuclear weapon is worth a few months of economic impact.
Mantis is another very low IQ Republican mouth breather. Ignored the fact (or maybe he is just ignorant) that US domestic energy production reached a record high under Biden. SAD!
And Mantis doesn’t even live in the US. He’s in Asia. Classic.
It's cute to see democrats pretending to care about lower gas prices. They spend their entire time in office blocking drilling, blocking pipelines, openly seeking to bankrupt energy companies through suffocating regulations. California has run refiners out of state and continues to try to block drilling, they happily buy from the middle east though. That's why their prices are the highest in the US, not the bad orange man. Besides, you have your green energy...
It's cute to see democrats pretending to care about lower gas prices. They spend their entire time in office blocking drilling, blocking pipelines, openly seeking to bankrupt energy companies through suffocating regulations. California has run refiners out of state and continues to try to block drilling, they happily buy from the middle east though. That's why their prices are the highest in the US, not the bad orange man. Besides, you have your green energy and your electric cars, what do you care? Climate change no longer an emergency? So disingenuous. Stopping Iran from developing a nuclear weapon is worth a few months of economic impact.
Got so excited about your reality-denying comment you just had to post it twice?
Responding to the repeat comment as well. Mantis use your fat diabetes-addled sausage fingers and google JCPOA. Iran wasn’t able to developed a nuke until Your Boy pulled out of it. What a tremendous decision. MORONS OF A FEATHER.
It's death, destruction and subjugation.
Thanks for attending my Ted Talk.
Boeing’s sponsorship is meant to grease the wheels for 777X certification.
Quite plausible.
But more generally, sponsoring someone in the administration is part of the general corruption.
Is this the guy who’s wife f***ed Puck? Obviously they think reality TV worked so well for them they’re trying to expose their children to it too.
Yep. She's gonna be taking Valtrex for life.
Marxist? What Duffy and the DC twits regard as Marxist is something that Karl almost certainly wouldn't recognize. Groucho, maybe, but not Karl.
Great road adventure to promote! Yes America needs to get rid of the evil Marxist/Communist infiltration funded by the Chinese Communist Party through radical leftwing elements! This is very true and all Americans need to recognize this existential threat! Only ignorant, indoctrinated leftists would deny this, unfortunately.
Would you care to elaborate on what you mean exactly? I'm an ignorant indoctrinated leftist, so I'm unclear on what you're trying to save me from.
"This is very true"... If it were actually true, you wouldn't need to say so. But your post does offer a lot of MAGA talking points, so the leader will be happy with you.
As @Darlene is told what to post by her master/husband.
This is one of the funniest strawmen arguments by the right I’ve ever seen. I’m very progressive and so are all of my friends. Literally not a single person has ever denigrated the US’ national parks lmao
I would argue that dems have done a lot more for the natural beauty of the US, especially because DOGE tried to destroy the NPS and BLM