Story perspectives

Watchdog Complains Duffy's TV Road Trip Misuses Federal Funds

5/13/2026

Summary

Story summary

A watchdog filed an ethics complaint alleging that U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy’s reality-TV road-trip may potentially misuse federal resources.
Department of Transportation (DOT) ethics officials approved his participation and said only official travel expenses were covered with federal funds.
Former Secretary Pete Buttigieg and his spouse called the series out of touch amid $4.49-per-gallon gas, noting sponsors like Toyota, Boeing, Shell and United Airlines, which the department regulates.

History

Historical Context

After Watergate, Congress passed the Ethics in Government Act of 1978, creating the Office of Government Ethics within the Office of Personnel Management; it became independent in 1989. The OGE sets ethics policies for the executive branch and has audited travel expenses that revealed overcharges in agencies like the Department of Transportation. Today, a DOT-sponsored reality-TV road trip revives those oversight concerns.

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Story summary

A watchdog filed an ethics complaint alleging that U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy’s reality-TV road-trip may potentially misuse federal resources.
Department of Transportation (DOT) ethics officials approved his participation and said only official travel expenses were covered with federal funds.
Former Secretary Pete Buttigieg and his spouse called the series out of touch amid $4.49-per-gallon gas, noting sponsors like Toyota, Boeing, Shell and United Airlines, which the department regulates.

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