Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg took aim at his successor, Sean Duffy, on Sunday, blasting the current secretary's decision to film a reality show while Americans struggle with rising fuel costs. Speaking on CNN's 'State of the Union,' Buttigieg framed the controversy as a stark contrast between patriotism and political theater.
'I love road trips. I love America. I actually took a taxpayer-funded road trip lasting about seven months. It was in Afghanistan,' Buttigieg said, drawing a sharp line between his military service and Duffy's production. 'This is something very different.'
Buttigieg's comments come amid growing scrutiny of Duffy's 'Great American Road Trip' series, which has sparked allegations of ethics violations and conflicts of interest. The show, reportedly sponsored by companies like Toyota, United Airlines, and Boeing — all of which face regulation by the Transportation Department — has drawn fire from watchdog groups.
'This is not about patriotism. And it is an embarrassment to have him going around saying that a road trip — quote — 'fits any budget' at a time when more and more Americans cannot afford a road trip, because of the explosion in diesel prices and gas prices caused directly by the Iran war and by the Trump administration,' Buttigieg added.
Buttigieg didn't stop there, linking Duffy's actions to broader frustrations with the Trump administration. 'To make road trips unaffordable and then go around celebrating your own road trip is exactly what people are so frustrated about, and part of why the Duffy road trip scandal has been such an embarrassment to the Trump administration is, it's happening at the same moment that Trump is alienating voters by making it clear that he doesn't care.'
The controversy has prompted calls for an investigation from Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, which is pushing the inspector general to examine potential conflicts of interest. Duffy's wife, Fox News host Rachel Campos-Duffy, defended her husband in a radio appearance last week, stating, 'I don't think anybody can accuse my husband of not having done his job well. In fact, people have been remarkably happy with it.' She added, 'And my husband is not a corrupt man. He's had many years in politics, and nobody has ever accused my husband of that.'
The Hill has reached out to the Transportation Department for comment. Meanwhile, the episode underscores the broader tensions within the administration, as critics argue that HUD Secretary Scott Turner faces Senate grilling on Trump's $73.5B budget plan, and Graham blasts China's allies as 'dirtbags,' proposes tariffs on Russian oil purchases.
The fallout from Duffy's reality show continues to ripple through Washington, with Democrats seizing on it as a symbol of administration priorities gone awry. As gas prices remain a key issue for voters, the controversy threatens to further erode public trust in the Transportation Department's leadership.
