By In another blow to his 2028 chances, federal records show that under Secretary Pete Buttigieg, the Department of Transportation allocated more than $80 billion toward diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs—while modernization of the nation’s aging air traffic control systems stalled, drawing criticism from industry officials and congressional watchdogs.
According to multiple airline industry insiders, Buttigieg showed little interest in upgrading critical aviation infrastructure, writes The New York Post. One official recalled a meeting in which Buttigieg dismissed the need for modern air traffic control, saying such upgrades would only allow airlines to “fly more planes, and so why would that be in his interest?” The same official described him as “definitely pushing an agenda,” adding that the secretary took “definitely zero action” on long-overdue technology improvements—some systems dating back to the Carter era.
Spending records reviewed by transportation analysts show that between 2021 and 2024, DOT approved approximately 400 DEI-related grants, a sevenfold increase over the roughly 60 such grants issued under the previous administration. These programs were fueled in part by the Biden administration’s $1.2 trillion infrastructure law, which launched the “Justice40” initiative directing 55% of $150 billion in funds toward “disadvantaged communities.” One heavily criticized outcome was a $5 billion equity program intended to construct 500,000 electric vehicle charging stations—of which only seven had been built by mid-2024, noted The Post.
Chris Meagher, a spokesman for the former Transportation Secretary, pushed back on the allegations, calling claims that Buttigieg avoided air traffic modernization “absurd.” Meagher cited increased controller hiring, software upgrades to improve runway throughput, new routes projected to save 100 hours annually, and $5 billion earmarked for air traffic facilities under the infrastructure bill. He added that President Biden’s 2025 budget included $8 billion for air traffic control—blocked, he said, by congressional Republicans.
But industry officials countered that much of that funding went to routine maintenance rather than modernization, consuming roughly $3.5 billion per year. The FAA has remained chronically understaffed since 2017, operating at just 80% of its target number of certified controllers. In April 2024, trade groups warned that at current hiring and training rates, it would take 90 years to fully staff key centers in the New York area. High attrition and early retirements among veteran controllers have only deepened the crisis.
Official data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics paints a mixed picture. From 2021 to 2025, nearly 80% of commercial flights arrived on time. Of those that were canceled, 54.3% were due to weather, 34.7% to airline issues, and 10.6% to aviation system failures. But officials say these numbers can obscure underlying causes. “If you start with a thunderstorm early in the day, and it ripples throughout the day… it’s just tagged as a late-arriving aircraft,” one official explained, noting that systemic deficiencies often go misclassified.
Buttigieg’s time at Transportation was far from stellar. In 2023 he was criticized for his proclivity to use private jets on the taxpayer dime. When a train derailment caused an environmental disaster, he refused to discuss the problem. In 2024, he embarrassed himself on national television when he tried to push the idea that electric vehicles had grown in popularity and was called out for spending billions of dollars while only building a handful of electric chargers.
As speculation mounts over Buttigieg’s 2028 presidential ambitions, his record at DOT may prove a liability. An Emerson College poll showed him leading the Democratic field with 16%, ahead of Vice President Kamala Harris at 13%. But critics argue that the department’s DEI-first posture left America’s skies flying on borrowed time.
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