As everyone knows, the worst part of air travel these days is that there’s nowhere to do pull-ups. Thankfully, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is on it.
Duffy, alongside his pull-up loving colleague Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., announced Monday a $1 billion initiative to bring more “family friendly” features to airports.
But first, the two manly men had to go head-to-head in a pull-up contest to see who wins a gold star for their job. Duffy brought his daughter Paloma to participate in the contest as well.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy
“Having pull-up bars in airports means you can stay fit while traveling,” Duffy wrote on X Monday alongside a clip of the calisthenics contest. “You can challenge yourself, or better yet, challenge your friends & family during a layover. The downside is your daughter might beat you!”
Duffy’s grand plan works with the Department of Health and Human Services to encourage airports to include more fresh, healthy food options. According to the press release, they will also push for family TSA lines, children’s play areas, sensory rooms for “children with special needs,” and nursing areas.
However nice that sentiment may be, the Trump administration’s plan conveniently—once again—shifts the attention away from the billionaire airline owners making delays, canceled flights, and long layovers a part of travel. Instead, the former MTV star has been putting that hard-earned taxpayer-funded salary to work by telling people that, maybe, the travel experience would be better if everyone dressed nicer.
“I would encourage people to maybe dress a little better, which encourages us to maybe behave a little better,” Duffy said to reporters last month. “Let’s try not to wear slippers and pajamas as we come to the airport.”
Related | Sean Duffy faces pajama protest after playing fashion police
But just past the thinly veiled victim-blaming is the Trump administration’s attempt to protect airlines and keep the more than 5,000 daily delays a status quo.
In November, the administration rescinded a Biden-era bill requiring airlines to compensate travelers for delays of three or more hours and to pay back customers for money spent on food and housing during long delays. A new bill has since been introduced by Democrats proposing similar requirements.
But given Duffy and President Donald Trump’s track record, the outlook is dim. After all, the administration just waived Southwest Airlines’ $11 million fine, which it was supposed to pay after leaving 2 million customers stranded during a 2022 operational meltdown.
On the bright side, as airlines are getting pats on the back while not being held accountable, travelers can get nice and sweaty at one of Duffy’s airport gyms—while wearing a suit, of course—before boarding their 10-hour, tightly cramped flight.
