Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has faced multiple crises during his tenure, including supply chain snarls and widespread commercial airline delays.
Buttigieg, who was selected to lead the Transportation Department by President Biden in January 2021, has faced criticism from both Democrats and Republicans for his handling of these issues. Some have accused him of failing to properly address them and being more focused on a potential future presidential bid.
In August, Buttigieg wrote letters to the CEOs of 10 U.S. airlines, warning that he was considering taking action in response to repeated flight delays. However, over the past week, Southwest, one of the largest airlines in the nation, has canceled about 15,000 flights, causing chaos for holiday travel plans.
Buttigieg has faced criticism from both Democratic and Republican lawmakers for his handling of this crisis, with bipartisan state attorneys general calling on him to take more aggressive steps to protect air travelers.
Buttigieg has also faced criticism for his use of government-managed private jets on at least 18 occasions since taking office. Some have pointed out that while Buttigieg has been addressing commercial delays, he has been using private jets for his own travel.
In addition, Buttigieg has been criticized for his handling of the supply chain crisis in 2021. This crisis led to shortages of household items and raw materials for manufacturing, as well as delays in the delivery of vaccines. Some have accused Buttigieg of not doing enough to address these issues and of being absent during the crisis.
Overall, Buttigieg’s tenure as Transportation Secretary has been marked by numerous crises and criticism from both Democrats and Republicans.
His handling of these issues has been called into question, and some have accused him of being more focused on a potential future presidential bid than on addressing the problems facing the Transportation Department.