Who Is Pete Buttigieg?

Pete Buttigieg was sworn in as the U.S. Secretary of Transportation on Feb. 3, 2021. The former mayor of South Bend, Ind., and presidential candidate, was nominated by President Joe Biden.

In this role, Buttigieg leads the U.S. Department of Transportation to ensure the safety and efficiency of the U.S. transportation system. Buttigieg serves in a leadership role in maintaining and enhancing the nation's infrastructure.

Early Life and Education

Buttigieg was born on Jan. 19, 1982, in his hometown of South Bend, Ind., where he spent his childhood. His late father, Joseph Buttigieg, immigrated from Malta, and his mother, Jennifer Montgomery, was born and raised in Indiana. His father taught literature, and his mother taught linguistics. His parents were professors for nearly 30 years at Notre Dame University.

Buttigieg attended St. Joseph High School, where he was his class valedictorian. He graduated from Harvard University, where he earned a bachelor's degree. After he graduated, he was awarded the prestigious title of Rhodes Scholar at the University of Oxford. His desire to work in politics began early and worked on John Kerry's presidential campaign in 2004.

He served seven years as an officer in the U.S. Navy Reserve, taking a leave of absence as South Bend mayor to serve in Afghanistan in 2014.

Notable Accomplishments

Buttigieg, a Democrat, was sworn in as mayor of South Bend in 2012 and was the youngest U.S. mayor serving a community of more than 100,000 residents at the time of his election. After serving two terms, he did not run again and left office on Jan. 1, 2020.

Buttigieg officially announced his presidential campaign in April 2019. He had previously run unsuccessfully for the chairship of the Democratic National Committee in 2017. Considered a relative political unknown before his presidential campaign, Buttigieg set himself apart as the youngest candidate in the Democratic primary and the first openly gay person to launch a presidential campaign. Soon after dropping out of the race in March 2020, Buttigieg endorsed Biden.

Personal Life

Although a relative outsider in transportation, outside of his experience as mayor, Buttigieg adds diversity to the cabinet as its first openly gay member. He married author Chasten Buttigieg in June 2018, and the couple has two young children, Penelope Rose and Joseph August Buttigieg. The twins were born in the late summer of 2021.

He is extremely close with his mother, who attended many political events with her son. The son of a linguist, Buttigieg is fluent in Italian, Spanish, Maltese, Dari Persian, Arabic, and French. According to media reports, he also speaks Norweigan, which he taught himself.

The Bottom Line

Buttigieg is viewed as likely to advance President Biden's ambitious agenda on both infrastructure repair and climate change. Buttigieg may take a more climate-centric approach than some of his predecessors, particularly as the Department of Transportation has the authority to regulate vehicle emissions.