Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is facing criticism after announcing a new reality-style travel series filmed while he continues serving in the Trump administration.
The show, The Great American Road Trip, follows Duffy, his wife Rachel Campos-Duffy, and their nine children as they travel across the country in an RV ahead of America’s 250th anniversary celebration next year.
The five-part series was filmed over parts of seven months and will begin streaming for free on YouTube in June, according to reporting from NBC News and USA Today.
The project marks a return to reality television for both Sean and Rachel Campos-Duffy, who first became nationally known through MTV shows in the 1990s. Sean Duffy appeared on The Real World: Boston, while Campos-Duffy was part of The Real World: San Francisco. The couple later met while filming Road Rules: All Stars, eventually becoming one of reality TV’s better-known couples before moving into politics and television commentary.
The new series is designed as a cross-country road trip tied to the nation’s upcoming semiquincentennial celebration in 2026.
USA Today reported that the family traveled to several cities, landmarks, and popular attractions while filming. The show is designed to showcase travel across the U.S., along with elements of American history and culture, and includes stops connected to patriotic themes and family-friendly destinations.
The focus on travel and mobility in the series also aligns with some of Duffy’s recent transportation initiatives. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy recently announced a $28.5 million funding opportunity through the Federal Transit Administration’s Pilot Program for Transit-Oriented Development Planning. The program is intended to make public transit more affordable and easier for families to use, while also supporting projects focused on safety, innovation, and better access to jobs, schools, and healthcare.
“Why should airports be the only places we make travel more family friendly? Under President Trump’s leadership we will make it easier and more affordable to get where you need to go,” Duffy said in announcing the program. “This revamped program will invest in transit corridors that connect families to jobs, education, and healthcare, which can improve regional mobility, growth, and prosperity.”
Duffy also promoted the road trip series in a video shared online, describing it as an opportunity for his family to reconnect with the country while encouraging other Americans to travel as well. The show’s launch comes as the federal government and tourism groups begin ramping up efforts tied to next year’s 250th anniversary celebration.
But the announcement quickly turned political online.
Critics questioned whether a sitting Transportation secretary should be filming a reality series while overseeing the Department of Transportation during a time of ongoing transportation challenges and high travel costs. Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg mocked the project on social media, and his husband, Chasten Buttigieg, also criticized the idea online.
Duffy responded publicly to the backlash, arguing that critics were misrepresenting how the series was filmed. NBC News reported that Duffy said production took place during personal time and did not interfere with his responsibilities at the Department of Transportation. He also stressed that the project did not use taxpayer money and said neither he nor his family received salaries or royalties from the series.
Questions were also raised about the seven-month production timeline. Duffy pushed back on the idea that he had been away from work for months at a time, explaining that filming happened in shorter stretches spread throughout the year around his government schedule.
USA Today reported that the production was funded through a nonprofit organization connected to the project. Duffy described the series as a positive, family-oriented effort focused on celebrating the country and encouraging travel ahead of the 2026 anniversary.
Sources: NBC News, USA Today, Federal Transit Administration
