Sec. Sean Duffy, wife defend Great American Road Trip from Buttigieg attacks

Key Points:

• Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and his wife Rachel Campos-Duffy are defending their upcoming "Great American Road Trip" reality TV series after criticism from former Secretary Pete Buttigieg and his husband, Chasten Glezman Buttigieg.
• Chasten Buttigieg accused the Duffys of taking a taxpayer-funded road trip amid rising gas and grocery prices, which the Duffys refuted by stating the trip was funded entirely by a nonprofit and that no taxpayer dollars were used.
• Sean Duffy emphasized that the series was reviewed and approved by ethics officials, filmed during limited personal time, and highlighted his accomplishments at the Department of Transportation, including modernizing air traffic control and increasing controller hiring.
• Critics shifted focus to the show's corporate sponsors, such as Boeing and Shell, alleging conflicts of interest and accusing Duffy of lax enforcement on airline safety, but the Duffys continue to promote exploring America's national parks as a patriotic act ahead of the nation's 250th birthday.
• Despite the political backlash, the Duffys encourage families to embrace the open road and rediscover America, urging viewers to focus on the positive message of their series rather than the controversy.