{"id":199335,"date":"2026-08-23T21:53:12","date_gmt":"2026-08-23T21:53:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/people\/199335\/"},"modified":"2026-08-23T21:53:12","modified_gmt":"2026-08-23T21:53:12","slug":"sean-duffy-doug-burgum-mike-johnson-defend-indycar-freedom-250-grand-prix-amid-backlash","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/people\/199335\/","title":{"rendered":"Sean Duffy, Doug Burgum, Mike Johnson Defend IndyCar Freedom 250 Grand Prix Amid Backlash"},"content":{"rendered":"

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy<\/a> on Sunday used booze to go to bat for the Freedom 250 Grand Prix, a Trump-approved IndyCar<\/a> street race in Washington, D.C., that\u2019s caused travel headaches and concerns around the nation\u2019s capital.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think is better, the view of the Capitol behind us. They can sell beer \u2014 by the way, this is the first time they\u2019re going to sell beer on the mall of the Capitol,\u201d Duffy told Fox News<\/a> of the $13-14 beer cans<\/a> for sale on the National Mall. (Note: Beer has been sold there<\/a> before.)<\/p>\n

Duffy is among the Trump officials defending Sunday\u2019s main event which prompted the installation of a 1.7-mile circuit that will see drivers zipping past historic landmarks and around museums by the National Mall at up to 180 miles per hour.<\/p>\n

Flights were suspended in the three hours leading up to the big race while area drivers were hit with a wave of road closures and parking restrictions<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s putting additional stress on a stressful situation,\u201d said Jason Cummins, who told The New York Times\u2019 Karoun Demirjian<\/a> that his hour-long commute from Baltimore to D.C. doubled on Friday morning.<\/p>\n

Sean Duffy on today’s Indycar race in downtown DC: “I think this is better … they can sell beer. This is the first time they’re going to sell beer on the mall of the capital” pic.twitter.com\/4dm8pXwBXe<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 23, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Trump, who took part in an honorary lap and waved the green flag<\/a> to start the race, had a hand in bringing the event closer to reality when he signed an executive order in January<\/a>. He later used White House grounds to promote it<\/a>, declaring it\u2019ll \u201cbe like no other race ever\u201d last month. <\/p>\n

Like Duffy\u2019s recently-released \u201croad trip\u201d reality show<\/a> and the UFC fight<\/a> on the South Lawn, a nonprofit took on organizing duties for the IndyCar event, which is framed as a celebration of America\u2019s 250th birthday.<\/p>\n

The race has attracted sponsorships from big companies that do business with the federal government, fueling ethics concerns given Trump world\u2019s proximity to the event, as Politico\u2019s Samuel Larreal has pointed out<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Some preservationists have also raised concerns about the race, with Mary Okin \u2014 assistant director of The Living New Deal \u2014 writing a letter to the National Park Service<\/a> last month proposing ways to protect murals inside the Cohen Federal Building from potential damage.<\/p>\n

On Saturday, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum<\/a> \u2014 who, like Duffy, has been promoting the race heavily on social media \u2014 addressed questions about manhole covers along the temporary track, telling Newsmax they were \u201cwelded down<\/a>\u201d so they don\u2019t go flying as cars zip over them.<\/p>\n

Both Burgum and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) have<\/a> teased<\/a> a push for the grand prix to become an annual event, with the interior secretary making a Trump-like claim on Fox that everyone in D.C. \u201cloves\u201d the idea.<\/p>\n