Donald Trump Adds To His Clown Show, Erm, That Is, Cabinet With Attorney/Reality TV Star

(Photo by Terry Wyatt/Getty Images)

I am an avowed fan of the MTV/Bunim Murray reality TV universe. The Real World created a genre out of whole cloth, and Road Rules built on the brand. But it’s The Challenge — currently in its 40th season — that cemented its place in the zeitgeist with returning “characters” and relationships that evolve over the course of years. And that formula has created some stars — some have taken their fame to other reality TV franchises, some have charted a course in comedy, others are actors in film and TV. There are models, wrestlers, and TV hosts in The Challenge alumni ranks. But if you thought the strangest 2024 development for a Challenge alum was Theo Von playing presidential kingmaker, I have some bad news for you.

Last night, Donald Trump selected his pick for Transportation Secretary. And, as you probably guessed from the intro, he tapped a former MTV star.

Sean Duffy first came into the public eye during the sixth season of The Real World, the Boston edition. He was a competitive lumberjack who clashed with some of his more liberal roommates. After his season ended, Duffy went on to compete on The Challenge where he met his future wife, star of the San Francisco RW season, Rachael Campos. Duffy and Campos went on to have nine children and quickly got on the express train to right-wing stardom. Campos tried her hand as the conservative on The View before finding a home on Fox News. Duffy got that law degree he’d been eyeing (from William Mitchell College of Law) before starting his career as a prosecutor. He then turned to politics as a member of the House of Representatives, representing Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District. He left that role to spend time with his family after learning his ninth child had health complications. From there, Duffy returned to TV as a host on Fox Business. All of which brings us to last night’s announcement, giving Duffy the nod as the head of Transportation.

Listen, we live in a world where Matt Gaetz — a man — is being put up at Attorney General. And a Fox News host got the nod as Secretary of Defense. A reality TV star in the Cabinet? Seems entirely on brand for Trump 2.0.

Kathryn Rubino is a Senior Editor at Above the Law, host of The Jabot podcast, and co-host of Thinking Like A Lawyer. AtL tipsters are the best, so please connect with her. Feel free to email her with any tips, questions, or comments and follow her on Twitter @Kathryn1 or Mastodon @[email protected].