SouthernWorldwide.com – Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has sharply criticized his predecessor, Pete Buttigieg, accusing him of moving at a “sloth’s pace” during his tenure. Duffy made these remarks on Sunday, highlighting the accomplishments of President Donald Trump’s administration in a video montage that incorporated scenes from various popular films.
“Pete Buttigieg moved like a sloth,” Duffy stated in a post on X. “I’m moving at the speed of Trump!”
Duffy further elaborated, claiming that Buttigieg achieved nothing significant and instead allocated substantial funds, specifically $80 billion, to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives and climate change efforts. He asserted that the Trump administration accomplished more within a single year than the previous administration managed in its entire four-year term.
Similar to other policy areas such as border security, Duffy’s video strategically positions the Trump administration’s achievements as a direct contrast to the policies and performance of the Biden administration. This approach aims to underscore the perceived shortcomings of the current leadership by using distance from President Joe Biden as a metric for success.
The video specifically targeted Buttigieg’s record concerning trucking certifications and air travel. It contrasted these with advancements made under the Trump administration, such as facilitating the development of “air mobility” vehicles and investing in engineering through the Maritime Academy.
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“Buttigieg spent billions of dollars trying to patch together our air traffic control system,” President Trump was featured saying in one of the clips within the montage. This statement aimed to frame the previous administration’s efforts as ineffective and costly.
The video employed imagery from fictional works, including Lightning McQueen from Pixar’s “Cars,” scenes from Marvel’s “Iron Man,” and a clip from “The Terminator.” These cinematic references were used to underscore the Trump administration’s commitment to improving air traffic control. The montage highlighted the $12 billion allocated for new air traffic controllers through Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill,” along with a record-breaking 12,000 applicants for air safety positions, according to the administration’s claims.
These statements and the video content align with recent announcements made by Duffy. Last week, he detailed efforts to replace eight air traffic control towers with modern facilities, representing an investment of $750 million. Additionally, Duffy announced an $85.8 million investment aimed at upgrading Federal Contract Towers at 41 airports across 24 states.
Beyond infrastructure improvements, Duffy emphasized the administration’s actions to strengthen licensing requirements for truck drivers. He criticized Buttigieg for alleged inaction in enforcing existing laws.
“Buttigieg did not enforce the law,” Duffy declared. “The wild West era of truck driver training — it’s over.” This statement suggests a belief that the previous administration allowed lax standards in the trucking industry.
The video also served as a reminder of the administration’s willingness to withhold federal funding from states that exhibited lax standards, particularly concerning trucking licenses. This tactic was employed to compel states to comply with federal regulations.
Specifically, the video recounted how California had revoked 17,000 trucker licenses belonging to “dangerous foreign drivers.” This action was reportedly taken after Duffy threatened to withhold $160 million in federal funding from the state.
Similarly, New York faced the withholding of $73 million in federal funds. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) reportedly found that more than half of the state’s non-domiciled trucking licenses had been issued improperly or illegally.
Pete Buttigieg served as the Secretary of Transportation in the Biden administration from 2021 to 2025. He has been a subject of speculation regarding a potential presidential candidacy in 2028 for the Democratic party.
Prior to his role in the Biden administration, Buttigieg himself pursued the presidency in 2020. He eventually withdrew from the race and subsequently endorsed Joe Biden’s campaign.
