Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is once again making headlines, but not for more pronouncements aimed at the trucking industry.
Instead, Duffy is being called out for making a family vacation video series on YouTube. He, his wife and their nine children appear in The Great American Road Trip, which is meant to promote car travel as part of this year’s celebration of 250 years of America’s independence.
See the trailer for the series below.
The series, which will appear on YouTube later this year, shows Duffy and his family visiting a variety of locations around the country, and engaging in numerous family activities. The Transportation Department said events were coordinated with Duffy’s work schedule, and he did agency work as well as being filmed for the series.
Some critics claim a cross-country road trip at a time when gas prices are being driven higher by the war with Iran is out of touch with the reality most Americans face. Others don’t like the fact that the seven-part series is sponsored by some companies (Boeing, Toyota and United Airlines) regulated by the federal department Duffy oversees.
And, earlier this week, a nonprofit government watchdog group Citizens for Ethics and Responsibility in Washington filed a complaint with the Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General. That complaint suggests Duffy’s involvement in the project violates federal gift and travel rules.
Duffy is having none of the negativity. In a post on the X social media platform, Duffy said, “The radical, miserable left has noticed our awesome Great American Road Trip trailer … and they hate it. It’s too wholesome. It’s too patriotic. It’s too joyful. They’re upset because they don’t want you to celebrate America! And they definitely don’t want you to teach your kids civics & patriotism. So they tell lies to undermine the mission.”
Duffy then said:
- “Zero taxpayer dollars were spent on my family.”
- “Neither myself nor my family received a salary or production royalties.”
- “The series was filmed in short, one to two day production windows — such as weekends and the kids’ spring break.”
- “Career ethics and budget officials at the Department of Transportation reviewed and approved both my participation and individual travel in accordance with federal rules.”
And, Duffy took the opportunity to pat his own back in his X post, adding, “Under my leadership, DOT has become the most responsive, productive, and transformational in its history — modernizing air traffic control, hiring 20% more controllers annually than my predecessor, moving grants at record speed, and removing illegal truck drivers from the road.”
Duffy concluded his X post by saying, “Don’t let the haters stop you from visiting our spectacular national parks, monuments and sights in honor of America’s 250th birthday! Our message is really simple: to love America is to see America. So put the phone down, hit the open road, and rediscover what makes America great.”
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