Potential sponsor of Sean Duffy's controversial 'road trip' reality TV show pulled out over ethical concerns, report says

A company that was asked to sponsor Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy's new reality show did not get involved in the project amid apparent ethical concerns, according to a new report.
But one company declined to sponsor the project after it was approached by Barnes' group, Politico reports. The outlet, which did not identify the company, cited an unnamed source who said there were ethical concerns about the proposal.
"You're paying for access through Tori's group. This is a little too cute," the source said.
"The Secretary's participation in the Great American Roadtrip was approved by USDOT career ethic attorneys. No taxpayer dollars were used for production costs nor did the family receive any compensation for their participation," a Transportation Department spokesperson said in a statement shared with The Independent.
The project has already drawn scrutiny, including from the nonprofit Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, which has asked the Transportation Department's inspector general to investigate whether Duffy violated federal gift and travel rules.
Duffy railed against the "radical, miserable left" after the show's trailer was met with criticism last week. "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," he wrote on X.
Published 2026-05-16T20:45:52Z.