Now that the Biden administration has ended, historians and political observers have started to reflect upon the legacy of the former president and his leading officials. While there are sure to be a variety of opinions and competing viewpoints, one policy area that history is likely to look unfavorably upon will be the handling of our nation’s transportation infrastructure.
The record of Pete Buttigieg as secretary of the Transportation Department is emblematic of these failures. It contrasts the rosy picture the former Cabinet official seeks to paint as he angles to run for office in Michigan.
These shortcomings are showcased by Buttigieg’s antipathy toward every facet of the transportation industry during his time as secretary. From airlines to trains and those critical workers who service them, Buttigieg made enemies at every turn.
Instead of working to address the problems facing transportation infrastructure, he claimed he inherited shortfalls from the previous Trump administration. Then, when a crisis hit, he was nowhere to be found.
We could begin with the train accident in East Palestine, Ohio. It took a week for the secretary to address the tragic disaster that occurred when a train carrying hazardous materials derailed, leading to a release of toxic chemicals and air quality concerns.
As a former district congressman, I know this ineptness hit home and was noticed by communities nationwide.
After international scrutiny of his nonperformance, the secretary showed up at the scene nearly three weeks after the accident. Buttigieg did as he always does and turned the visit into little more than a photo opportunity.
By this point, Buttigieg had a knack for press appearances, with some Democratic pundits remarking that he spent too much time “auditioning for the role of White House press secretary” instead of meeting his responsibilities at the Department of Transportation. To this day, the cleanup continues and environmental concerns linger.
This was one of a series of problematic policy decisions Buttigieg made while in office. He pushed for an electric vehicle mandate that would bankrupt American automakers and cause mass unemployment for hundreds of thousands of autoworkers in the state he apparently hopes to represent as governor or senator. He opened the door for China to control the automotive sector. He failed to address the supply chain bottlenecks that occurred at American ports during COVID, failing to act proactively to address these looming issues.
We are now dealing with the effects of his hopeless handling of airline transportation, FAA and traffic-control issues.
Beginning in 2021, as wireless carriers prepared to roll out 5G technology, Buttigieg failed to navigate a dispute that emerged between airlines and wireless carriers surrounding the deployment of 5G towers near airports. He failed to grasp the interference it could cause to airplane navigational equipment. As the deadline approached to deploy the technology and the two parties remained at an impasse, thousands of flights were at risk of being canceled or rerouted daily.
Despite having nearly two years to decide the issue, it took a voluntary deferment from the wireless industry to prevent significant disruption. Meanwhile, the failure of a critical but antiquated FAA system known as NOTAM caused over 7,500 flight delays and exposed his incapacity to understand his responsibility for our nation’s infrastructure oversight and preparedness.
As Buttigieg transitions from the Department of Transportation and considers seeking higher office, his tenure will be remembered as a period marked by missed opportunities and reactive responses rather than proactive leadership. The combination of infrastructure challenges left unaddressed, transportation crises acknowledged belatedly and then handled clumsily, and policy decisions that threatened American security and manufacturing jobs show how he failed to meet his responsibilities to the American people.
We must expect more from those who rise to the highest positions in government. The safety of our skies, bridges, railroads and everything in between depends on it.
