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Secretary Sean Duffy
So good, so good, so good.
Mary Margaret
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Secretary Sean Duffy
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Ben Shapiro
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Mary Margaret
I am taking over Ben's channel today to take you on a very fun day with me that I had with Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy. We go to Fenway park in Boston and we go to the Secretary's cup, which is an annual game between the Coast Guard and the Merchant Marine Academy. We had a lot of fun. We talked to him about faith, transportation, the shutdown, big families and more. So stay tuned. We've got so much fun content to show you.
Ben Shapiro
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Mary Margaret
Hey, guys. We are here at Fenway park in Boston, Massachusetts. We're here to join Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy for the Secretary's Cup. This is an annual game between the US Coast Guard and the Merchant Marine Academy. We've got our credentials and we are heading to Fan Fest, which is like a big party on the field with all these games and stuff. This is pretty awesome. Hey, guys.
Ben Shapiro
Hey.
Mary Margaret
Good to see you.
Secretary Sean Duffy
How's it going?
Mary Margaret
Thanks for letting me come along today. Well, it's so great to be here with you all. Can you tell us why you're here?
Secretary Sean Duffy
So this is big game, Secretary's Cup. So I have the Merchant Marine Academy under dot. Kristi Noeman has the Coast Guard.
Mary Margaret
Okay.
Secretary Sean Duffy
Pence the Secretary's Cup. And there's a lot of smack talk, a lot of fire that comes on this game. And so I'm excited to be here. Secretary Noma is going to be here later. And our Merchant Marine Academy, they're excited to play on a big venue like this and sometimes they don't get the attention that they deserve.
Mary Margaret
Right.
Secretary Sean Duffy
A few of the kids came with me. Got four.
Mary Margaret
Four of nine. Right?
Secretary Sean Duffy
Four of nine. Yes.
Mary Margaret
Okay. I'm from a big family too. I have 10 siblings. So what is it like? I am one of 11, number two, oldest girl. So best ones, right? Evita.
Secretary Sean Duffy
So you know, you know I'm 10 of 11.
Mary Margaret
I knew that, actually.
Secretary Sean Duffy
But I'm number 10.
Mary Margaret
So you're at the bottom of the family. You get all the people skills, right?
Secretary Sean Duffy
That's right.
Ben Shapiro
Exactly.
Mary Margaret
Yeah.
Secretary Sean Duffy
Had the shutdown not ended, we were not going to get to Thanksgiving. Would have been not just mass chaos, I think would have seen airlines actually ground their fleets. It was getting bad fast. So what we've seen now is our controllers have come back online. We have more normal staffing levels. We're almost back to staffing levels that we had before the shutdown. So what we're doing now is analyzing the data to make sure that we have the numbers going in the right direction towards safety. And when that happens, we're gonna allow number of flights to go back up again.
Mary Margaret
Okay, we know there's a wager between you and Secretary Noem. Tell us about that.
Secretary Sean Duffy
Yes. So what's gonna happen is when the Merchant Marine Academy beats Coast Guard, Kristi Noem is gonna have to invite my whole team to her department in D.C. and throw a little party for them.
Mary Margaret
Oh, my gosh. Wait, so what happens if you lose?
Secretary Sean Duffy
You're not gonna lose.
Mary Margaret
You're not gonna lose.
Ben Shapiro
Ok.
Secretary Sean Duffy
It's gonna be a good game. You know what? It's cool. Just if I could say one other thing. Our academies again, you know, we have the naval and the army, and these academies don't get as much attention, but they're critical as part of America's infrastructure and making sure that we can defend ourselves. And again, the Coast Guard well aware of that. But the Merchant Marine Academy, our young men and women go out and make sure we have the capability of supporting the military, doing sea lifts, making sure products are moving, supplies are moving, and our midshipmen provide those services.
Mary Margaret
I was just listening to your interview with Sean Ryan, which was really interesting, by the way. I loved what you were saying about your wife, your family, how you prioritized your family when you left your role as a congressman. Can you tell us a little bit about that and whether you think that paid out?
Secretary Sean Duffy
We have a lot of kids, and when I was in Congress, a lot of my time was taken away.
Mary Margaret
Yeah.
Secretary Sean Duffy
Because my family was in Wisconsin and I had to continue to go back and forth to D.C. yeah. And so when I left, we had a little baby with down syndrome who's fantastic. It's her Valentina. And it was great to have just more time and flexibility to be with them. And then as I do this, we now live in New Jersey. So I've tried to incorporate them a lot more into what I'm doing. I made this point for anyone who will listen. I think as we look at our lives, as we are on our deathbeds, I think that's the point. You think about what's important in life and never do. You think about how much money you made or what bill you passed or what congressional race you won. You think about your family and the people that are most meaningful to you. That is our. Those are our legacies, I think. And so, yeah, I think about that a lot. Maybe it's my age now. I think it's sad today that we have so many young people that aren't getting married, aren't having kids, and they're told that they're happier and better off if they don't have families, they don't have kids. They're happier if they make more money. You can see we have our Black Sheep shirts on, and we embrace it, and we still kick ass. We still have grit. We still crush it. Like, what's going to happen today on the football field here at Fenway? So you ready, Patrick? He's very engaged now.
Mary Margaret
We're going to go back into Fenway, actually. We're going to go to the field. We're going to see everybody warming up. So I almost just got absolutely nailed with football. It landed, like, right here, and I saw my life flash before my eyes. The Mariners are not used to getting so much attention from the secretary because in the past, they just haven't really cared. So Duffy has been paying a lot of attention to these guys. He's really proud of them. He's really excited, and they are really excited back. Mary Margaret, nice to meet you. Nice to meet you. You guys familiar with the Daily Wire?
Secretary Sean Duffy
Yes, I am.
Mary Margaret
You're a Daily Wire fan? I am. Awesome. Well, that's us. We're with the Daily Wire.
Secretary Sean Duffy
Awesome.
Mary Margaret
We just wanted to ask you guys what you're doing here today, if you're excited. We're here to watch Kings Point B, Coast Guard. Oh, okay.
Secretary Sean Duffy
I'm excited. I mean, these boys work hard for it. We're going to kill them today. We're going to kill them today.
Mary Margaret
What does it mean to you guys to be a Mariner?
Secretary Sean Duffy
Oh, man, it's everything. I mean, it's how cargo moves around the world.
Ben Shapiro
Right.
Mary Margaret
World needs Mariners. Tell us, because I feel like people don't always understand the importance of the Mariners. Yeah. So pretty much everyone here will graduate.
Secretary Sean Duffy
With a license in the US Coast.
Mary Margaret
Guard that's capable of operating any boat.
Ben Shapiro
Or vessel in the American fleet.
Mary Margaret
Pretty much. We move cargo, whatever it be, cars.
Secretary Sean Duffy
Containers from point A to point B. We're what puts food on your shelves.
Mary Margaret
Wow.
Secretary Sean Duffy
Yeah.
Mary Margaret
So without you guys, where would we be? It'd be really hard to live. Cost would be insane. I mean, there'd be no food in supermarkets. There'd be nothing. There'd be nothing without us. So we need you guys so excited that Secretary Duffy's here.
Secretary Sean Duffy
Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah.
Mary Margaret
He's the man. He's the man.
Secretary Sean Duffy
I love that guy.
Mary Margaret
I can't wait to see him. Okay, he's going to be coming out right here in just a second, and then we're going to follow him into the locker room. So stay tuned.
Ben Shapiro
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Mary Margaret
The significance of the black sheep? I know it's on your sweatshirt. We saw it outside. What's going on with that?
Secretary Sean Duffy
Here's the deal. This academy has been forgotten by prior secretaries. They've been shunned. They haven't had the investments. And so they have one of the most beautiful campuses, but no one has reinvigorated it. No one has invested in it. And so as I. As I came to campus as a secretary, I found out that these young midshipmen went four months. Four months without hot water.
Mary Margaret
Four months without hot water.
Secretary Sean Duffy
So they're taking cold showers. They have mold in their dorms. Their dishwasher broke. So they didn't have. They didn't have regular plates and silverware. They had plastic plates, plastic silverware. And when I brought it up to them, I thought they were going to be angry. And it said, no hot water. And they're like, roar. You're damn right we did. No hot water.
Mary Margaret
That is awesome.
Secretary Sean Duffy
And I just. I think it's wrong that we have a great American academy with great young American men and women, that we don't. We don't respect them. They are the black sheep of all the academies. Right. And sometimes when you feel a little beaten, you're an underdog, you come back, have a little more heart, a little more energy, a little more fight. And so I think that's what we're seeing today.
Mary Margaret
I love it. How do they feel about the black sheep? Do you talk to them?
Secretary Sean Duffy
Well, I don't know. I'm like, I don't care. I'm your secretary. I'm going to call you Black sheep.
Mary Margaret
Wait, so.
Secretary Sean Duffy
And we're going to own it.
Mary Margaret
I love it. And Secretary Buttigieg. I always mess up his name. Secretary Buttigieg. Yeah, Secretary. What was he doing when they didn't have hot water?
Secretary Sean Duffy
Well, it's because they have the green. They had their green energy effort. They didn't have oil boilers. They tried to move to an electric boiler, which didn't work. And so because they had this whole green theme, it didn't work.
Mary Margaret
What about bringing faith back to the.
Secretary Sean Duffy
Academy so I don't have to bring faith? These are. These are faithful young men and women. We had a mural of Christ on the water. The last administration took that mural, which is historic. It's been in the Academy for over 50 years. They. They took it, they folded it, and they put it in the basement of the chapel. Shameful. And so I said, that's bullshit. We are going to resurrect the painting of Jesus on the water out of the basement and put him back in his place of prominence. And when I mentioned it to the midshipmen, they lost their mind. You guys have more heart, you have more grit. So please go wipe. So you Coast Guard ass today, you. And let's bring the trophy home.
Ben Shapiro
Oh, yeah.
Secretary Sean Duffy
How are we going to do it? Together. One, two, three.
Mary Margaret
Secretary Noem, how are you? Mary Margaret with Daily Wire. So really quickly, want to talk to you two. How you're feeling about the odds of that today? How's the game looking to you? We are excited.
Secretary Sean Duffy
I just met with the team in the locker room.
Mary Margaret
They are pumped up. I heard that if you guys lose, you're going to a pizza party at dhs. We haven't even thought about that. Yeah, I think that's what we agreed to.
Secretary Sean Duffy
Secretary Noem sent me a text and said, our secretary's cup is too small. It needs to be bigger. And I agreed with her. And then she said, how do you know? Because it's in my office.
Mary Margaret
You guys got down. Okay. They're about to do the coin toss, and then we're going to follow them up into the stands. He's really revved up. I think he really is enjoying this. And she seems like she's having a blast, too. There we go. I think we have to choose a side now. Tom, who are you rooting for? Maritime Mariners. Me, too.
Ben Shapiro
Me, too.
Mary Margaret
I'm rooting for the Mariners. I think Kristen OEM could tell I was rooting for them. I have three jumbo and three water. We got it. Fun fact. I actually don't like hot dogs.
Secretary Sean Duffy
I got it, I got it, I got it. I got it.
Mary Margaret
Nya. Freezing. So we got some hot cocoa, and it's saving my life. So good. The Mariners are winning right now, 26 to 21. Secretary Duffy is currently up in the ESPN booth. He's doing a live ESPN hit with them.
Secretary Sean Duffy
These two academies are really important for our national defense or national security. And these teams work so hard to have him come to Fenway on a cold day like today and be able to play and have alumni you all be here, their families and the secretaries. I just think it's so meaningful to celebrate sports in these two academies.
Mary Margaret
These guys are saying they're so excited to get this attention, to get this support. Okay, we're back on the field. There's two minutes left in this game, and everyone is very revved up. Coast Guards winning. They're up 38 to the Mariners. 35. Am I doing this sportscaster thing right? 39, 38. Eight seconds left.
Secretary Sean Duffy
The Mariners Kings Pointers Merchant Marine Academy up by one, kicking the Coast Guard's rear end. 20 seconds left of victory. How are you doing?
Mary Margaret
Good.
Secretary Sean Duffy
15 seconds left.
Mary Margaret
15 seconds left. How are you feeling?
Secretary Sean Duffy
I feel good. There's a lot of riding on this game. A lot of smack talk. I know a lot of course track. Look at my kids. They're so excited. They're thrilled. They're ready to celebrate.
Mary Margaret
All right, here they go.
Ben Shapiro
Allegedly.
Secretary Sean Duffy
No, no, no, no.
Ben Shapiro
Thanks.
Secretary Sean Duffy
Well done, man.
Mary Margaret
Thank you for fighting. Thank you so much.
Ben Shapiro
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Mary Margaret
Secretary Duffy was so excited. We got to go out on the field and see all of it. It was so cool. These guys were thrilled to win. And then of course, they're all trash talking the Coast Guard guys who were really disappointed. Disappointed. I felt really badly for them. But a really awesome day. I'm freezing. I'm ready to go get a drink. I think we're gonna go find some kind of pub or something to get warm. And funny side note, people kept thinking that I was Kristi Noem. I think because from the back I look a little bit. We got a little bit of similar hair thing going on in a baseball hat. But right when we were leaving, someone was like, look up in the stands. They want you to say hi. So I looked up there and gave them a wave and they think they thought they saw Christy Noem, so. So that made my day because she's pretty beautiful, but awesome day. This was so cool. We had so much fun traveling around the Secretary Duffy and we're hoping to do more like this. So hopefully he takes us with him again soon.
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Secretary Sean Duffy
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Secretary Sean Duffy
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Ben Shapiro
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Episode: "Do You Know About This Secret Military Game?"
Date: November 28, 2025
Host: Mary Margaret (Daily Wire), with Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy
This episode steps away from Ben Shapiro’s usual solo commentary to feature Mary Margaret and Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy as they attend the Secretary’s Cup—a spirited annual football game between the US Coast Guard Academy and the Merchant Marine Academy, held at Boston’s famed Fenway Park. Through lighthearted banter and serious conversation, the episode offers an insider’s look at the people, traditions, and challenges of America’s service academies, exploring themes of family, faith, and service in military and civilian life.
Setting the Scene: Mary Margaret opens at Fenway Park, where a festival-like atmosphere precedes the game—a major annual event for both academies, often overlooked compared to the Army-Navy rivalry.
Significance of the Event: Secretary Duffy emphasizes the importance of recognizing and supporting the Merchant Marine Academy, highlighting their crucial role in national security and logistics.
Big Families in Politics: Duffy and Mary Margaret bond over their large families (Duffy has nine kids; Mary Margaret is one of eleven), discussing how their upbringing informs resilience and people skills.
Work-Life Balance and Priorities: Duffy reflects on stepping back from Congress to prioritize family, especially his daughter with Down syndrome.
The ‘Black Sheep’ Motif: Duffy speaks passionately about neglect and underfunding at the academy, proudly adopting the ‘black sheep’ label.
Spirit and Resilience of the Midshipmen: Duffy admires the students’ refusal to grumble despite tough conditions, choosing instead to own their ‘black sheep’ status.
Infrastructure and ‘Green’ Mistakes: Duffy attributes some of the academy’s hardships to failed green energy initiatives.
Restoring Tradition and Faith: Duffy criticizes the removal of a long-standing mural of Christ and shares his enthusiasm for returning it to prominence.
The Final Minutes: Tension mounts as the score shifts rapidly; scenes from the stands and field capture the anticipation and excitement.
Celebration on the Field: The Mariners clinch the win; the students and Duffy are jubilant, with Mary Margaret describing the scene among dejected Coast Guard cadets and trash-talking Mariners.
On Family Legacy
On Pride in the Underdog
On Student Resilience
On Restoring Faith and Tradition
Mariners’ Crucial Role
The episode is lively and engaging, blending Mary Margaret’s enthusiastic reporting, Sean Duffy’s candid and sometimes irreverent commentary, and genuine camaraderie among all participants. While much of the conversation is light and festive, underlying themes of service, tradition, and perseverance surface throughout. There is a blend of humor (“You’re not gonna lose”) and a sincere admiration for the students and academies.
This special episode of The Ben Shapiro Show provides listeners with a heartwarming and insightful look into an underappreciated corner of American service—through the lens of a community event that’s as much about tradition and pride as it is about football. The dynamic between the participants underscores the value of family, service, and fighting for those overlooked by the broader culture. The Mariners’ victory provides a fitting end to a day full of grit, camaraderie, and celebration of America’s “black sheep.”