Trump Criticizes Buttigieg Over Air Safety, Marriage Amid Airport Delays

Former President Donald Trump criticized former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, accusing him of lacking knowledge on air safety and blaming him for ongoing air traffic control issues, particularly after a recent outage at Newark Liberty International Airport. During a press event, Trump mockingly referenced Buttigieg's marriage by saying Buttigieg rides his bike to work "with his husband on the back," a claim without evidence and likely intended to disparage Buttigieg's sexuality. Trump also disparaged Buttigieg's potential 2028 presidential run and compared him unfavorably to Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett. Buttigieg, an avid cyclist, has never been publicly known to ride a bicycle with his husband. The criticisms come amid broader concerns about staffing shortages and outdated technology in the air traffic control system, which the Biden administration is currently addressing with proposed reforms. Trump also used his social media platform to label Buttigieg a "total novice and political hack," pledging to fix the air traffic problems.