Challenges in the Life of Pete Buttigieg in a Detailed Timeline

Resilience and perseverance in the journey of Pete Buttigieg. A timeline of obstacles and growth.

Pete Buttigieg is an American politician and former naval officer. He served as the 19th United States Secretary of Transportation from 2021 to 2025. Previously, he was the 32nd mayor of South Bend, Indiana, from 2012 to 2020, earning him the nickname "Mayor Pete". A member of the Democratic Party, Buttigieg is a prominent figure in American politics.

Sections (6)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Legacy & Impact

2010: Democratic Nominee for State Treasurer of Indiana

In 2010, Pete Buttigieg was the Democratic nominee for state treasurer of Indiana, but lost to the Republican incumbent Richard Mourdock.

2011: EPA levied fine against the city

In 2011, the EPA had levied a fine against the city for Clean Water Act violations, which led to the smart sewer program.

2012: Demotion of Police Chief

In 2012, Pete Buttigieg demoted police chief Darryl Boykins after a federal investigation revealed illegal recordings.

2012: First Serious Mistake as Mayor

Shortly after taking office in 2012, Pete Buttigieg considered his decision to ask for Boykins' resignation his "first serious mistake as mayor".

June 2019: Officer-Involved Shooting of Eric Logan

In June 2019, after a white South Bend police officer shot and killed Eric Logan, an African American man, Buttigieg was drawn from his presidential campaign to focus on the emerging public reaction. Police body cameras were not turned on during Logan's death. Buttigieg presided over a town hall meeting attended by disaffected activists from the African American community as well as relatives of the deceased man.

November 2019: Review of Police Department Policies Commissioned

In November 2019, Pete Buttigieg secured $180,000 to commission a review of South Bend's police department policies and practices, to be conducted by Chicago-based consulting firm 21CP Solutions, following the shooting of Eric Logan in June 2019.

2019: Buttigieg Requests Release from EPA Agreement

In 2019, Pete Buttigieg asked for South Bend to be released from an agreement with the EPA brokered under his mayoral predecessor, Steve Luecke, in which South Bend had agreed to make hundreds of millions of dollars in further improvements to its sewer system by 2031.

March 2021: Consideration of tolls on Interstate 80

In March 2021, Secretary Buttigieg indicated his openness to tolls on Interstate 80, but not bridges, suggesting "big picture solutions" like a mileage tax instead. However, the Biden administration did not include a gas tax or mileage tax in the infrastructure plan released that month.

June 2021: Appointment to White House Supply Chain Task Force

In June 2021, Secretary Buttigieg was appointed as one of the leaders of a White House task force created to address supply chain disruptions.

August 2021: Buttigieg Takes Parental Leave

In mid-August 2021, after the birth of his twins, Secretary Buttigieg began a period of paid parental leave, approved by the White House. During the leave, he was mostly offline, attending to major agency decisions. This leave became a point of criticism from conservative figures.

October 2021: Prediction of continued supply chain disruptions

By October 2021, global supply bottlenecks had resulted in shortages of household goods for American consumers. Buttigieg cited high demand and the pandemic as some of the causes for the disruptions, and predicted that the disruptions would continue into the next year.

February 3, 2023: East Palestine, Ohio, train derailment

On February 3, 2023, a freight train carrying hazardous materials derailed in East Palestine, Ohio. Emergency crews conducted a controlled burn of the spill, releasing chemicals into the air, leading to resident evacuations.

February 23, 2023: NTSB Preliminary Report on Ohio Train Derailment

On February 23, 2023, the NTSB released a preliminary report on the East Palestine train derailment, stating that the wheel bearings overheated, with temperatures as high as 253 °F (141 °C) above the ambient temperature.

March 2023: Buttigieg's Response to Ohio Train Derailment

In March 2023, Secretary Buttigieg appeared on CNN and admitted to erring in not visiting East Palestine sooner and failing to anticipate the fallout from the train derailment.

March 2023: Opposition to Spirit-Frontier merger

In March 2023, Secretary Buttigieg voiced his opposition to the proposed merger of Spirit Airlines and Frontier Airlines, citing concerns that it would be anticompetitive.

December 2023: Record fine imposed on Southwest Airlines

In December 2023, the Department of Transportation, under Secretary Buttigieg, imposed a record fine of $140 million on Southwest Airlines for violations of consumer protection laws in 2022, when the company canceled numerous flights.

2031: EPA Agreement Deadline

2031 was the deadline for South Bend to make hundreds of millions of dollars in further improvements to its sewer system, according to an agreement with the EPA, before Buttigieg asked for the city to be released from the agreement in 2019.