After an unceremonious end to his presidential campaign early this year, Pete Buttigieg became one to watch in the final months of the election, making notable appearances on CNN, MSNBC, and especially Fox News, where his mix of clarity and compassion often left his interviewers without a leg to stand on. Insiders had tossed around several positions as possible landing spots in Joe Biden’s administration for the former Indiana mayor, including secretary of Veterans Affairs or ambassador to the United Nations, with the latter said to be Buttigieg’s top choice. As recently as last week, Axios reported that Biden was considering Buttigieg for ambassador to China, giving him foreign policy bona fides that would serve him well down the line.
Following Biden’s victory, however, veteran diplomat Linda Thomas-Greenfield was tapped for U.N. ambassador, and former White House chief of staff Denis McDonough for the V.A. And on Tuesday, it was reported that Buttigieg will be the next transportation secretary, succeeding Elaine Chao when Biden is sworn in on January 20. According to CNN, “Buttigieg would be the first Senate-confirmed LGBTQ Cabinet secretary should his nomination make it through the chamber.”
The position is wholly different than the foreign policy and national security roles Buttigieg had reportedly been eyeing. It has also historically come with less visibility; Chao flew largely under the radar, minus an ethics entanglement. On the other hand, Buttigieg’s appointment comes at a time when sweeping infrastructure reform bills are in the cards, meaning his role might be elevated to a new level of importance. Per Politico, Buttigieg will be tasked with leading “nearly 55,000 employees, an $87 billion budget, and more than a dozen administrations, overseeing the nation’s airspace, highway system, [and] pipeline safety,” among other things.
While Buttigieg has minimal transportation experience compared to other candidates who were reportedly in the running, he was one of the first Democratic candidates to introduce an infrastructure plan—“a detailed proposal which touted a vehicle miles traveled fee and road safety,” per Politico. And his apparent longtime obsession with municipal services may come in handy, too:
More Great Stories From Vanity Fair
— Mary Trump Thinks Her Uncle’s Postpresidency Woes Are Just Beginning
— There’s a Wave of COVID Patients Who Don’t Believe It’s Real
— Doug Band: Confessions of a Clintonworld Exile
— Will Rupert Murdoch Spring for a Postpresidential Fox Gig?
— Ivanka Desperately Tries to Rehab Her Image on Her Way Out
— After Remaking CNN and Antagonizing Trump, Jeff Zucker Eyes the Exits
— With COVID Vaccines Approaching, Is the FDA Ready to Inspect Where They’re Made?
— From the Archive: Probing the Nightmare Reality of Randy Quaid and His Wife, Evi
— Not a subscriber? Join Vanity Fair to receive full access to VF.com and the complete online archive now.