Pete Buttigieg
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| Pete Buttigieg | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Name | Pete Buttigieg |
| Caption | Official portrait, 2021 |
| Office | 19th United States Secretary of Transportation |
| President | Joe Biden |
| Term start | February 3, 2021 |
| Predecessor | Elaine Chao |
| Office1 | 32nd Mayor of South Bend |
| Term start1 | January 1, 2012 |
| Term end1 | January 1, 2020 |
| Predecessor1 | Steve Luecke |
| Successor1 | James Mueller |
| Birth date | 19 January 1982 |
| Birth place | South Bend, Indiana, U.S. |
| Party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Chasten Glezman (m. 2018) |
| Education | Harvard University (BA), Pembroke College, Oxford (BPhil) |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch | United States Navy |
| Serviceyears | 2009–2017 |
| Rank | Lieutenant (junior grade) |
| Unit | Navy Reserve |
| Battles | War in Afghanistan |
Pete Buttigieg is an American politician and former military officer serving as the 19th United States Secretary of Transportation under President Joe Biden. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as the 32nd mayor of South Bend, Indiana from 2012 to 2020 and was a candidate in the 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries. Buttigieg is a graduate of Harvard University and Pembroke College, Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar, and served as a naval intelligence officer in the United States Navy Reserve.
Early life and education
Born in South Bend, Indiana, he is the son of Jennifer Anne Montgomery and Joseph Buttigieg, a professor of English literature at the University of Notre Dame. He attended St. Joseph High School before enrolling at Harvard University, where he studied history and literature and was elected president of the Harvard Institute of Politics Student Advisory Committee. After graduating in 2004, he attended Pembroke College, Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar, earning a Bachelor of Philosophy degree. During his studies, he worked as a consultant for McKinsey & Company in Chicago.
Military service
Commissioned as an intelligence officer in the United States Navy Reserve in 2009, he took a seven-month leave of absence from his mayoral duties in 2014 for a deployment to Afghanistan. He served with the Afghanistan Threat Finance Cell at Camp Eggers in Kabul, supporting NATO and Department of Defense counterterrorism missions. He was awarded the Joint Service Commendation Medal and the Afghanistan Campaign Medal for his service. He attained the rank of lieutenant (junior grade) before resigning his commission in 2017.
Political career
His early political involvement included work on John Kerry's 2004 presidential campaign and a run for Indiana State Treasurer in 2010, which he lost to Richard Mourdock. He was elected mayor of South Bend in 2011, taking office in January 2012. His administration focused on urban revitalization through the "Smart Streets" initiative, redevelopment of vacant properties via the "1,000 Houses in 1,000 Days" program, and investments in technology and innovation, including a partnership with the University of Notre Dame. He was re-elected in 2015 with over 80% of the vote and served as president of the Michigan City-based Indiana Urban Mayors Caucus.
2020 presidential campaign
He launched his campaign for the 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries in April 2019, establishing a headquarters in South Bend. His campaign gained national attention after strong performances in debates and a narrow victory in the Iowa caucuses, where he essentially tied with Bernie Sanders. He also won the New Hampshire primary by a slim margin. After a weaker showing in the South Carolina primary and ahead of Super Tuesday, he suspended his campaign in March 2020 and subsequently endorsed former Vice President Joe Biden.
U.S. Secretary of Transportation
Following the 2020 United States presidential election, President-elect Joe Biden nominated him to lead the United States Department of Transportation. He was confirmed by the United States Senate by a vote of 86–13 in February 2021. As Secretary, he has overseen the implementation of major infrastructure legislation, including the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. His tenure has focused on modernizing the nation's infrastructure, addressing supply chain disruptions, advancing vehicle safety standards, and promoting investments in public transit, electric vehicles, and climate change resilience.
Personal life
He married junior high school teacher Chasten Glezman in 2018 at the Episcopal Cathedral of St. James in South Bend. They are the parents of twins, born via surrogacy in 2021. He is a member of the Episcopal Church and is fluent in several languages, including Norwegian, Italian, Maltese, Arabic, Dari, and French. His memoir, Shortest Way Home, was published in 2019. Category:1982 births Category:Living people Category:United States Secretaries of Transportation Category:Mayors of South Bend, Indiana Category:Harvard University alumni Category:Rhodes Scholars