During most presidential administrations, the head of the Department of Transportation is someone who rarely makes headlines.
When Joe Biden picked former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg for the role, however, the position soon began to attract more attention than usual.
Not only was Buttigieg, a gay man, notable for his addition to an administration that prioritized manufactured diversity, but he also led the DOT during a period filled with several tragic transportation-related incidents and many more close calls.
As prominent critics continue to bring up his dismal record, Buttigieg is determined to push back — even if it means reinventing history.
According to Breitbart:
Despite his claim that he “drove down close calls” during his 2021-2025 tenure, a 2023 Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) review that was ordered following several national incidents found that “inadequate, inconsistent funding” and staffing shortages had led to an “erosion” of safety standards that made “the current level of safety unsustainable.”
“Together, these challenges contribute to increased safety risk and should be regarded as incident precursors,” the report stated.
FAA officials also noted that the incidents recorded in the beginning of 2023 demonstrated “an increase in the most serious type of runway incursions.”
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Buttigieg’s statement was immediately met with a flurry of derisive replies:
Seriously? GFY you twatwaffle! You all hired psychos like you! pic.twitter.com/4kZCKHsQXB
— Tony Seruga (@TonySeruga) January 30, 2025
You were ok with this? pic.twitter.com/drLK0FD8eC
— Nurse Patriot (@LABeachGal1) January 31, 2025
Pete, this occurred on the second week of his administration, meaning if there is fault based on failed procedures and protocols, you own that failure. His cabinet nominees have not even began working in their roles yet. And if I'm being honest, you were a DEI hire.
— Chad79 (@chad7916522) January 31, 2025
For his part, President Donald Trump has been characteristically blunt when describing Buttigieg’s tenure at the Transportation Department, as The Hill reported:
Appearing before reporters in the White House briefing room, Trump knocked his Democratic predecessors over aviation standards, suggesting that the Democrats didn’t put safety first — and he suggested that diversity initiatives have weakened the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
“I put safety first. Obama, Biden and the Democrats put policy first. And they put politics at a level that nobody’s ever seen, because this was the lowest level. Their policy was horrible, and their politics was even worse,” Trump told reporters from the White House briefing room.
The president also blasted Buttigieg as a “disaster.”
“He’s a disaster now. He’s just got a good line of bulls‑‑‑,” Trump said. “Well, he runs it, 45,000 people, and he’s run it right into the ground with his diversity.”
Here’s what White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt had to say in defense of Trump’s remarks:
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