Extensive Use of Taxpayer-Funded Private Jets Cited

The Department of Transportation's (DOT) Inspector General is opening an audit into controversial Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg over the latter’s extensive use of taxpayer-funded private jets.

Buttigieg, who has repeatedly argued in favor of aggressive action to combat climate change, has taken at least 18 private jet flights at taxpayer expense since being appointed to his office by Joe Biden in early 2021. Publicly available flight-records align with Buttigieg's internal calendar—a copy of which was obtained by government watchdog group Americans for Public Trust (APT).

APT executive director Caitlin Sutherland stated: "After Americans for Public Trust helped determine Secretary Buttigieg’s excessive use of taxpayer-funded government jets, we are pleased to see that his air-travel is now under investigation. Everyday Americans have faced unprecedented flight cancellations and disruptions, but Buttigieg has continued to fly private, even on a Coast Guard plane and even when commercial options were readily available."

Buttigieg’s use of federal private jets—a small fleet of which is managed by the FAA—includes an August 2021 round-trip from Washington D.C. to Las Vegas, where he promoted a Nevada public works project.

On another occasion, Buttigieg traveled by taxpayer-funded private jet to multiple states—most of which were swing states in recent federal elections—as part of a tour highlighting grants authorized under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. 

In yet another instance, Buttigieg, in April 2022, traveled by military aircraft with his husband for purpose of attending a sporting event, the Fifth Invictus Games, in the Netherlands. The selfsame month, Buttigieg flew to New York City on a government aircraft to give a radio interview and attend two brief ACLU meetings before returning to his point of origin two-hours later.

A DOT spokesperson set forth: "We welcome this independent audit moving forward in order to put some of the false, outlandish, and cynical claims about the Secretary’s mode of travel to rest. The fact remains that he flies commercially the vast majority of the time.”

Senator Marco Rubio (Republican, Florida) requested on 16 December 2022 that the DOT Inspector General open an investigation into Buttigieg’s use of taxpayer-funded air travel. Senator Rubio remarked at the time: "It is unclear why Secretary Buttigieg would require such costly travel in these instances when more economical options were reportedly available.”

Rubio’s sentiments are substantiated by the General Services Administration's City Pair Program, which enables U.S. government officials to travel via a variety of airlines at below-market fares. The program was designed and implemented to ensure low prices for official government travel.

FMI: www.transportation.gov