Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, an advocate of increased government action to curb carbon emissions, has taken at least 18 flights using taxpayer-funded private jets since taking office, according to flight tracking data obtained by Americans for Public Trust.
“Every day Americans face flight cancellations and long wait times because Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has completely mismanaged air travel. Yet, he gets to avoid all that by taking taxpayer-funded private jets to destinations with readily available commercial airline options. And for someone so holier-than-thou on reducing emissions, Buttigieg sure doesn’t seem to mind the pollution caused by his literal jet-setting. This is hypocrisy at its finest, and these troubling expenses to taxpayers must come under immediate scrutiny,” said Caitlin Sutherland, Executive Director of Americans for Public Trust.
Buttigieg used the FAA private jet to travel to Florida, Minnesota, Ohio, Nevada, Oklahoma, New Hampshire — states largely considered to be swing states in recent federal elections.
Former Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price was forced to resign after reportedly taking 26 private jet flights, costing taxpayers about $1.2 million.
