Ana Navarro Calls Out Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy Over Seven-Month Road Trip Claim

The View co-host Ana Navarro drew criticism Wednesday for saying Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy took a seven-month road trip during his tenure.

"The tone deafness. The secretary of transportation was on a seven-month road trip with his nine children for a TV show," Navarro said on CNN's NewsNight.

Duffy announced that he and his family filmed a show titled The Great American Road Trip to mark America's 250th anniversary. The project has faced backlash from the political left, including former Biden Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and his husband, against a backdrop of elevated gas prices.

"You know that he was not on a road trip for seven months. You know that that is factually inaccurate. Come on," said Jason Rantz, a conservative radio host.

Navarro replied, "He has been on a road trip during those seven months."

"A couple of days at a time. He was not on for seven months. That's just not fair and not accurate," Rantz responded.

CNN host Abby Phillip noted that Duffy was shooting a reality TV series. Rantz pointed out that Duffy filmed over a couple of days spread across the seven months, though Phillip said that did not improve matters.

Duffy hit back at the criticism in a statement posted to X. "The radical, miserable left has noticed our awesome Great American Road Trip trailer… and they hate it. It's too wholesome. It's too patriotic. It's too joyful. 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 added that no taxpayer dollars went to him or his family. "The series was filmed in short, one to two day production windows — such as weekends and the kids’ spring break."

Duffy said career ethics and budget officials at the Department of Transportation reviewed the series.

"Our message is really simple: to love America is to see America. So put the phone down, hit the open road, and rediscover what makes America great," the transportation secretary said.

Duffy also fielded the criticism in an interview with CNN's Scott Jennings.