Transportation Secretary Duffy Announces ‘Great American Road Trip’ As Part of America250 Events

He was on “Road Rules,” after all.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy hosted The Great American Road Trip Expo outside of the department’s headquarters in Washington on Thursday to celebrate US-Built automobiles and announce a collaboration with America250, which is organizing events to celebrate the USA’s 250th birthday in 2026.

“There is nothing more Americana than a road trip,” Duffy said while waxing poetic about traveling the country via automobile as a youth. “To love America is to see America.”

Duffy, a former U.S. Congressman for Wisconsin, rose to fame as a contestant on “The Real World” before taking part in “Road Rules: All Stars” in 1998.

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A fleet of American-made automobiles was assembled that included models from Ford, GM, Jeep, Ram, Rivian, Tesla and several foreign brands that build vehicles in the U.S. like BMW, Hyundai and Mazda.

BMW, North American President and CEO Sebastian Mackense and Chrysler CEO Christine Feuell were among the automotive industry executives in attendance.

The Stellantis brands of Chrysler, Dodge Jeep and Ram last week announced a collaboration with America250 to supply vehicles for its various events.

“There really is no better way to explore America than with a road trip,” Feuell said.

President Trump’s tariff policies have largely been focused on promoting U.S. automobile manufacturing.

Mackense noted that BMW’s U.S. operations support 120,000 industry jobs and generate $43 billion in revenue, while its assembly plant in Spartanburg, S.C. is now its largest factory in the world.

The Transportation department has also launched a Great American Road Trip website with information on 250 destinations tied to the America250 celebration.

American Cars And Racing presents the US-Built Car Of The Year Awards the week of July 4. Check back for this year’s winners