Pete Buttigieg Shuts Down Fox News Host Over Military Plane Story

By

Giulia Carbonaro is a Newsweek reporter based in London, U.K. Her focus is on the U.S. economy, housing market, property insurance market, local and national politics. She has previously extensively covered U.S. and European politics. Giulia joined Newsweek in 2022 from CGTN Europe and had previously worked at the European Central Bank. She is a graduate in Broadcast Journalism from Nottingham Trent University and holds a Bachelor's degree in Politics and International Relations from Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Italy. She speaks English, Italian, and a little French and Spanish. You can get in touch with Giulia by emailing: g.carbonaro@newsweek.com.

Writers Page
US News Reporter
Trust Project Icon Newsweek Is A Trust Project Member

🎙️ Voice is AI-generated. Inconsistencies may occur.

Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg shut down Fox News host Bret Baier when the journalist tried to "grill" him over bringing along his husband, Chasten, on a military flight to the Netherlands in April 2022.

Buttigieg used a military aircraft to travel to the northern European country where the Invictus Games—a competition for wounded soldiers and military veterans founded by Prince Harry in 2014—were held with a presidential delegation sent by President Joe Biden.

Pete Buttigieg, Bret Baier, Fox News
U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg (left) speaks with Bret Baier (right) of "Special Report with Bret Baier" at Fox News D.C. Bureau on January 5, 2023 in Washington, DC. Buttigieg defended bringing his spouse... Paul Morigi/Getty Images

Fox News published an article covering the news on January 4, where it added that Buttigieg was accompanied on the trip by his husband. The news company then reported that it was "unclear" whether the transportation secretary had reimbursed the government for his spouse's travel costs.

Questioned by Baier on Thursday about whether the flight was reimbursed, Buttigieg said: "Of course not."

The transportation secretary added: "I led a presidential delegation to support American wounded warriors and injured service members, the Invictus Games, as has been tradition for many years.

"I led the American delegation as one of the great honours of my time in this job. And the diplomatic protocol on a presidential delegation is that the principal is often accompanied by their spouse. It was a great trip. Incredible," Buttigieg said.

The Democrat added that the trip was also a chance to engage with the Ukrainian competitors a few weeks after the beginning of the Russian invasion.

After mentioning how the trip was a crucial occasion to meet with some of his European counterparts, Buttigieg called out Baier on the reason why he was questioning him for bringing his husband, while his predecessors were not grilled for taking their spouses on similar trips.

"Before me, it was the secretary of the army under President Trump who took that trip with his wife. Before that, it was Mrs. Trump as first lady who went. Before that, Mrs. Obama did the same thing," Buttigieg told Baier.

"And I guess the question on my mind is, if no one's raising questions about why secretary [Mark] Esper and his wife led that delegation, as well they should have, then why is it any different when it's me and my husband?"

Baier then replied only with: "Understood," before carrying on the conversation about other topics.

In a statement sent to Fox News, a spokesperson for the White House National Security Council told the media company: "It's standard practice for military aircraft to be provided for White House organized Cabinet-level presidential delegations."

A video of the interview between Baier and Buttigieg was watched by more than 3 million viewers on Twitter.

Newsweek has contacted Fox News for comment.

Request Reprint & Licensing Submit Correction View Editorial & AI Guidelines

Top stories

About the writer

Giulia Carbonaro is a Newsweek reporter based in London, U.K. Her focus is on the U.S. economy, housing market, property insurance market, local and national politics. She has previously extensively covered U.S. and European politics. Giulia joined Newsweek in 2022 from CGTN Europe and had previously worked at the European Central Bank. She is a graduate in Broadcast Journalism from Nottingham Trent University and holds a Bachelor's degree in Politics and International Relations from Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Italy. She speaks English, Italian, and a little French and Spanish. You can get in touch with Giulia by emailing: g.carbonaro@newsweek.com.

Writers Page

Giulia Carbonaro is a Newsweek reporter based in London, U.K. Her focus is on the U.S. economy, housing market, property ... Read more