“Pete Buttigieg Ignores Ohio Derailment, But Speaks Out Against ‘Too Many White People’ in Construction”

At a conference on Monday morning, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg omitted the fact that 50 cars had derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, releasing hazardous materials into the air. Instead, Buttigieg chose to focus on his own grievances, noting that there were “too many white people” working in the construction industry.

Buttigieg’s lack of attention to the Ohio derailment, which had caused the evacuation of nearby residents due to toxic fumes, was met with shock and disbelief. Despite the derailment’s deadly consequences, Buttigieg was seemingly more concerned with the number of white people working in construction.

The Secretary’s remarks at the National Association of Counties Conference, where he laughed about all the failures he faced in his position, seemed to take priority over the Ohio derailment. Buttigieg quipped, “We’ve faced issues from container shipping to airline cancellations. Now we got balloons.”

In light of the serious nature of the Ohio accident, Buttigieg’s decision to ignore the tragedy to make a point about race was met with strong criticism. WBNS reported on the accident, noting that it had caused a “fiery crash” and a “dark plume of smoke.”