Great American Road Trip

The Great American Road Trip nonprofit has partnered with the U.S. Department of Transportation to celebrate the United States’s 250^th anniversary in 2026. ² As part of that, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy; his wife, conservative political commentator Rachel Campos-Duffy; and their nine children did a cross-country road trip they called the Great American Road Trip, which was filmed as a five-part reality show on YouTube. The trip was paid for by the Great American Road Trip nonprofit instead of taxpayers. Critics of the trip claimed the sponsorship by a private organization presented a conflict of interest. ³

Great American Road Trip said its sponsors included Boeing, Toyota, Shell, Google, Royal Caribbean, the American Bus Association, United Airlines, the U.S. Travel Association, Chase Travel, Brand USA, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, CRH, and the Electronic Payments Coalition.  ^{3 4} Boeing and Toyota each donated $1 million the Great American Road Trip nonprofit. ⁵

Background

The Great American Road Trip is a social-welfare advocacy group that has partnered with the U.S. Department of Transportation to celebrate the United States’ 250^th anniversary in 2026. The group provides a guide to the “historic landmarks, open roads, and small towns that tell 250 years of this country’s story.” It also asserts, “Taking a road trip in America isn’t just a vacation, it’s a civic experience.” ²

As of June 2026, Victoria (Tori) Barnes was the executive director of the Great American Road Trip. She has been a registered lobbyist for the U.S. Travel Association and Hilton Worldwide. She is the daughter of former U.S. Reps. Bill Emerson (R-MO) and Jo Ann Emerson (R-MO). Barnes was previously executive director at the U.S. Travel Association. She also worked for General Motors. Barnes also has ties to Boom Supersonic, an aircraft manufacturing firm.  ³

Barnes said, “The Great American Road Trip is meant to inspire Americans to get out and see all that this incredible country has to offer. By highlighting more than 250 Official Stops and creating opportunities for engagement in communities nationwide, we’re inviting families to rediscover what makes this country extraordinary, from its history and culture to its innovation and natural beauty.”  ¹

The Great American Road Trip nonprofit has features that zoom in on regional policy, and economic shifts and that influence how people travel, work, and live. The group also tries to highlight stories from the road that illuminate the people and places shaping America. ⁶

Sponsors

The Great American Road Trip organization is not required to disclose donors under the law. But the group has showcased its sponsors, which included Boeing; Toyota; Shell; Google; Royal Caribbean; the American Bus Association; United Airlines; the U.S. Travel Association; Chase Travel; Brand USA; United Airlines; Enterprise Rent-A-Car; the U.S. Travel Association; CRH, a building materials company; and the Electronic Payments Coalition, a credit card trade association.  ^{3 4}

Great American Road Trip sponsors have contributed between $100,000 and $1 million each. The larger donors received more prominent recognition on the website. ³ The group sold top-tier “platinum” partnerships for $1 million, with “gold” costing $500,000, “silver” at $250,000, and “bronze” at $100,000. ⁷

Boeing and Toyota each donated $1 million the Great American Road Trip nonprofit. ⁵

The Great American Road Trip suggested visiting Boeing’s Everett, Washington, factory and museum.  ³

Duffy Family Road Trip

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy; his wife, conservative political commentator Rachel Campos-Duffy; and their nine children did a cross-country road trip they called the Great American Road Trip, which was used as a five-part reality show on YouTube in 2026. The trip was paid for by the Great American Road Trip nonprofit. ³

The Duffy family trip was designed to blend the history of America’s founding with visits to local businesses and thriving small towns. ⁸ The reality TV series with the Duffy family was filmed across 10 states and Washington, D.C. ⁹

The Great American Road Trip and the U.S. Department of Transportation signed an agreement in December 2025 that declared that the nonprofit will not receive “any favorable consideration for any future federal financial assistance, action, contract, or other financial award.” The agreement further contended that the nonprofit’s financial backing of the YouTube series counts as an acceptable gift under a federal statute allowing the Secretary of Transportation to “accept and use conditional or unconditional gifts of property for the Department of Transportation.”  ⁹

The show featured the family snowmobiling in Montana, visiting the Liberty Bell and other historic landmarks, visiting veterans at a diner, riding waterslides, sailing on a cruise from Miami, backseat teasing among children, and an emergency-room visit for one of the children. It featured cameos from President Donald Trump, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, and musicians Kid Rock and John Rich. ^{10  11} It further shows the family traveling to U.S. destinations including Civil War battlegrounds, the Mayflower landing site, and Yellowstone National Park. ¹²

The Department of Transportation said the nonprofit group covered “gas, car rentals, lodging, and activities.” But Duffy also used DOT transportation when stopping for “touring air traffic control towers and assessing port infrastructure.”  ³

Duffy said the five-part series was shot over seven months, on weekends, and on his children’s spring vacations. ¹³ He said, “Production costs were paid for by the Great American Road Trip Inc., not taxpayers. Zero taxpayer dollars were spent on my family.” Duffy also said ethics and budget officials had “reviewed and approved both my participation and individual travel in accordance with federal rules.”  ¹²

Democrats in Congress criticized the road trip occurring during rising gas prices. ¹³ Former Biden administration Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg criticized the Duffy road trip. ¹²

Donald K. Sherman, president of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, filed a complaint with the Mitch Behm, the acting inspector general for the Transportation Department, asking for an investigation of whether Duffy accepted illegal gifts from a nonprofit funded by companies with business before the Transportation Department.  ⁹

Politico reported in June 2026 that at least two former staffers for Duffy, when he was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Mark Bednar and Maxwell Docksey, were board members of Great American Road Trip. ¹⁴

In response to critics, Duffy said in an X post: “The radical, miserable left has noticed our awesome Great American Road Trip trailer… and they hate it. 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.”  ¹⁰

Tori Barnes, executive director of the Great American Road Trip, Inc., told ABC News, “The Great American Road Trip Inc. is proud to work with the first Transportation Secretary who actually understands the significance of promoting and supporting travel and tourism in America, just as he supports the critical infrastructure and systems that make travel possible via roads, bridges, in the air and via waterways.”  ¹²