Former reality TV star and current Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is returning to his first love with a new television series being produced ahead of America’s 250th anniversary in July.
Sources with direct knowledge of the production who spoke to TMZ said that Bunim/Murray Productions, the production company behind The Real World: Boston, on which Duffy appeared in 1997, is currently producing a YouTube series featuring the secretary and his family.
The series will follow Duffy, his wife and fellow Real World alum Rachel Campos-Duffy, and their family as they travel across the country, stopping at landmarks and historical sights. The couple has nine children together, though it’s unclear how many will appear in the series.
The show is reportedly being hosted and paid for by the Great American Road Trip, a Department of Transportation initiative established ahead of the upcoming 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Launched by Duffy ahead of the anniversary, the initiative “invites Americans to explore the nation’s highways and byways in celebration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence” by highlighting 250 suggested stops across the country. Sponsors of the initiative include Boeing, Toyota, Royal Caribbean, and Comcast NBCUniversal.
When contacted for comment by the Daily Beast, a DOT spokesperson said that the five-part series is “designed to encourage Americans to rediscover the country firsthand by taking their own road trips.” Episodes will be released on YouTube in the lead-up to the America 250 celebrations in July.
The spokesperson noted that the series “will explore everything from civics lessons about America’s founding to iconic national parks and thriving small-town communities.”
“The goal is not simply to share their adventures, but to show other families what’s waiting beyond the front door—and invite them to pack up the car, hit the road, and see the country for themselves.”
Duffy told TMZ that the aim of the series is to experience America firsthand by getting out on the road and seeing things up close. The secretary called road trips a “meaningful way to understand the country” and told the outlet that he hoped the series would inspire other families to plan similar trips.
The series is just one of many stunts the Trump administration has planned for the nation’s 250th birthday celebrations, including a controversial UFC event on the South Lawn of the White House in June.
Duffy first found fame as a star on The Real World: Boston in 1997, where he served as what the New York Times described as the “resident playboy.” He later met his wife while filming an all-star version of the series.
“We got married, fell in love, and now have nine kids,” Duffy said in a 2019 interview. “We are the most prolific Real World couple of all time. No one beats us.”
After eight years in Congress and a stint on Fox News, Duffy was named to Trump’s cabinet in November 2024. In addition to serving as the Secretary for Transportation, he served as acting administrator of NASA for several months until Jared Isaacman’s confirmation in December 2025.
Duffy has been forced to defend the president amid rising gas prices, telling ABC News that people should refrain from criticizing the president.
“I think we have to offer the president grace,” Duffy said. “We know the president cares about the economy, gas prices for the American people. He’s talked about that frequently and often.”
“He also cares about peace,” Duffy added. “A lot of people don’t give him credit for that, but he’s proud of the conflicts that he resolves, and he doesn’t want to see conflict.”
