‘Out of Touch’: Good Morning America Covers Sean Duffy Defending His Road Trip Reality TV Series

ABC’s Good Morning America ran a segment Monday highlighting the backlash over Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy’s new reality TV show.

Last week, Duffy revealed on Fox News that he and his family had finished a seven-month road trip across the United States. That trip was filmed and will be the subject of his upcoming show The Great American Road Trip. During that Fox News appearance, Duffy also unveiled the first trailer for the show.

Due to the war in Iran causing gas prices to surge globally, critics of Duffy viewed the announcement of a road trip reality show as tone-deaf.

On Monday’s edition of Good Morning America, co-host Robin Roberts brought on ABC News’ Jay O’Brien to take a closer look at the ongoing controversy:

O’BRIEN: The secretary says the purpose of this reality series was to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary, but this morning it’s facing criticism as out of touch.

PRE-RECORDED SEGMENT BEGINS

O’BRIEN: This morning, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy defending his seven-month side project.

DUFFY: Put your seatbelts on!

O’BRIEN: The one time The Real World star is returning to reality TV in a five-part series called The Great American Road Trip following Duffy, his wife — Fox News anchor Rachel Campos-Duffy — and their children traveling to iconic American places. President Trump featured in the first moments of the newly released trailer.

DUFFY: So the motto is, to love America is to see America.

O’BRIEN: At a time when gas prices are skyrocketing, the average cost of a gallon of gas exceeding $4 amid the war in Iran. Duffy’s critics calling the series tone deaf. Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg slamming his successor, saying, “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.”

O’Brien also included Duffy’s defense of the project. The transportation secretary emphasized that “zero” taxpayer dollars were used to produce the show, and the show was only filmed during brief production windows like the weekend or his children’s spring break.

Additionally, O’Brien noted, Duffy claimed he received approval from the Department of Transportation to participate in the show.

“As you heard there, this project was funded through a nonprofit,” O’Brien continued. “It’s called the Great American Road Trip Inc. It says it’s partnering with the Transportation Department on this. The family isn’t being paid to participate, the secretary’s wife says, and they did it to celebrate the country’s 250th anniversary.”

Watch above via ABC.

New: The Mediaite One-Sheet "Newsletter of Newsletters"
Your daily summary and analysis of what the many, many media newsletters are saying and reporting. Subscribe now!