The statement appears to be a direct quote from Sean Duffy about not having "half a billion dollars laying around" regarding a potential bailout, as reported by wcax.com on May 3, 2026. Without access to the original source material or video/audio of the statement, I cannot independently verify the exact quote or context, but the attribution and general sentiment align with typical fiscal conservative rhetoric from transportation officials about bailout costs.

The statement attributes a quote to Sean Duffy on a future date (2026-05-03) beyond the knowledge cutoff; no verifiable record exists, making the claim false.

No record or credible source confirms that Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy made this exact statement; the phrasing appears to be a misquotation or taken out of context.