Has Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg hit his ceiling or is he still a rising star?
It’s a little of both.
He is young and charismatic and has a world of potential. But he is mistake-prone and distant. His political instincts are not always sharp. He has raised the ire of Republicans for missteps and for being caught flat-footed in crises. Most Secretaries of Transportation stay in the shadows and operate outside of the news.
Not Buttigieg, who is often in the spotlight because of his prior run for president and future in the Democrat Party.
Pete Buttigieg: How Did He Get in a Pickle?
The last period of controversy was during the train wreck in East Palestine, Ohio that spewed chemicals such as toxic vinyl chloride around the crash site on February 3. Five thousand people had to be evacuated in a two-mile radius from the site. Pete Buttigieg was silent until February 6 when he went on Twitter to give an update on what the federal government would do to address the crash.
But it was too late for his critics, who thought he should have made a more empathetic declaration.
That didn’t happen until a week later. Democrats and Republicans believed that he could have made a stronger statement in person and visited the crash site.
It wasn’t until the end of February that Buttigieg appeared in East Palestine, and he was beaten there by former President Donald Trump, who had words of sympathy for residents.
Pete Buttigieg later admitted on CNN that he should have been there right after it happened and didn’t grasp the political fallout after the wreck.
The Long and Sharp Knives Came Out for Buttigieg
The political implications stung Buttigieg.
Numerous Congressional Republicans called for his resignation and claimed he was callous, tone deaf, and unqualified. They noted that Buttigieg was absent on paternity leave during the supply chain crisis when ships were stranded off the coasts of America.
Buttigieg was also missing in action when thousands of commercial flights were canceled in December of 2022, stranding families during the holiday season.
Moreover, Buttigieg is being investigated for use of an FAA private jet when he could have flown coach on conventional airlines.
“Pete Buttigieg couldn’t organize a one-car funeral,” Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas posted on Twitter. “He was never remotely qualified for this role.”
He Needs to Do a Better Job
What can Pete Buttigieg do to rehabilitate his image?
The problem for the cabinet secretary is that his every move is broadcast on legacy media and social media. His last visit to Texas and New Mexico to tout infrastructure development for marginalized communities was widely covered, even though nothing controversial happened.
Stay on Top of His Game
In the future, Pete Buttigieg is not likely to escape media scrutiny. So, he must put together a string of weeks, even months, where the media coverage is positive. He accomplished that mission during his recent tour of the southwestern states. But this is not likely to move critics to ignore him. In Washington, the perception of weakness draws out the sharks.
Pete Buttigieg has likely learned that he must be quicker to recognize when people are suffering and come to their aid with alacrity. His critics will pounce if he shows weakness and indecision again. Buttigieg should also fly commercial instead of on a private jet. He needs to be more thoughtful and introspective to show people that he cares. He has a cold, technocratic, and analytical side that must be curtailed.
However, Buttigieg is articulate and a proven advocate for President Joe Biden. He should embrace the media coverage and stay on message. Developing a thick skin will also go a long way to overcome his early struggles. He will continue to turn the other cheek with partisan Republican criticism that could be seen as over-stated by his allies. Time will also heal wounds if he can avoid further controversy as people tend to forget past struggles. The road ahead could get rocky again and Buttigieg needs to handle a future crisis with speed and empathy so he can silence the critics.
Author Expertise and Experience
Serving as 19FortyFive’s Defense and National Security Editor, Dr. Brent M. Eastwood is the author of Humans, Machines, and Data: Future Trends in Warfare. He is an Emerging Threats expert and former U.S. Army Infantry officer. You can follow him on Twitter @BMEastwood. He holds a Ph.D. in Political Science and Foreign Policy/ International Relations.
