As a looming government shutdown threatens to disrupt air travel nationwide, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is preparing to attend a campaign event for his son-in-law.
Michael Alfonso, who is married to Duffy’s daughter, is organizing a meet-and-greet session in Wausau, Wisconsin. The event is set for Tuesday, as per an online invitation.
This gathering, featuring coffee and pastries, coincides with Veterans Day, which is a federal holiday.
Duffy’s intention to participate in his son-in-law’s campaign has reportedly stirred dissatisfaction among some of President Donald Trump’s close associates.
According to reports from NOTUS, Duffy did not clear his plans with the White House beforehand.
An insider linked to the White House criticized the decision, describing it as a ‘world-class stupid decision.’
‘While our airports are in chaos, the Transportation Secretary is flying to a campaign fundraiser for his son-in-law,’ liberal pundit Ron Filipkowski mused on X.
The secretary is attending his son-in-law’s event in a personal capacity, a Transportation Department spokesperson told the Daily Mail, adding Duffy’s presence ‘does not reflect any official administration position or endorsement.’
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is headlining a meet-and-greet event for his son-in-law’s congressional campaign on Veterans Day. Duffy’s attendance has reportedly upset some people in Trump’s orbit
Duffy and his family – Alfonso, the congressional hopeful, is seen furthest to the right. Evita Duffy, Alfonso’s wife and the secretary’s daughter, can be seen in the green dress
The turbulence for Duffy also comes at a time when he’s faced headwinds on multiple fronts.
Staffing issues within the secretary’s agency and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) are threatening to cause a catastrophic couple of weeks if the government shutdown is not ended.
The FAA has warned that 40 airports nationwide will be impacted by funding-related issues starting on Friday.
Duffy said the airline industry will have to slow down by 10 percent earlier this week, and his deputies have noted how the industry is entering uncharted territory.
‘If you bring us to a week from today, Democrats, you will see mass chaos, you will see mass flight delays,’ Duffy said at a press conference.
‘You’ll see mass cancellations, and you may see us close certain parts of the airspace, because we just cannot manage it. ‘We will restrict the airspace when we feel it’s unsafe.’
The reportedly unauthorized trip also comes on the heels of the president re-nominating billionaire tech entrepreneur Jared Isaacman to become the next NASA administrator – a role currently held by Duffy on an interim basis.
Duffy’s angling to keep the NASA role permanently reportedly prompted White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles to reprimand the secretary, telling him to ‘knock it off.’
In Wisconsin, Alfonso is running for a seat that Duffy previously held for the better part of a decade, from 2011 to 2019.
Michael Alfonso and his wife Evita Duffy with President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump
The 25-year-old Gen-Z candidate married Evita Duffy, the daughter of the secretary and his Fox News host wife, Rachel Campos Duffy, when he was 22 and fresh out of college.
Alfonso announced his candidacy for Wisconsin’s seventh district last week.
Republican Representative Tom Tiffany, who currently represents the district, has announced a bid for governor, leaving the seat without an incumbent in the 2026 midterms.
The White House did not immediately respond to the Daily Mail’s request for comment.
