Did Mayor Pete Really Spend $80 Billion on DEI?

Whether the total was $80 billion or just tens of billions, DOT spent massive sums pushing a political agenda while neglecting critical infrastructure upgrades.

Image Credit: Gage Skidmore (via Flickr: CC BY-SA 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en)

In January 2023, the federal government halted flight departures nationwide after the Federal Aviation Administration suffered a crippling computer outage.

The snafu stemmed from a corrupted file in the FAA’s Air Missions system, interrupting crucial safety information to pilots. The FAA didn’t operate exactly as a well-oiled machine under former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. This week, we learned at least one reason why.

In an exclusive story, the New York Post was told by air industry insiders that Buttigieg showed “little to no interest” in upgrading the FAA’s outdated air traffic control system and took “zero action” to improve operational reliability, despite warnings about various issues, including staffing shortfalls.

During one meeting with airline executives, Buttigieg reportedly questioned the value of improved air traffic control, saying it would enable airlines to fly more planes, and asking why such a result would be in his interest.

Such a self-centered statement might sound shocking to the average American, but it makes sense to anyone who’s studied public choice theory, which recognizes that government officials respond to incentives just like everyone else and often act in their own interest rather than the public’s.

For Buttigieg, flying more carbon-spewing airplanes was hardly a political win, especially for a Cabinet secretary positioning himself as a climate champion and considering a presidential run. Instead, the New York Post reported, Buttigieg focused on “shelling out tens of billions of dollars” on his diversity, equity, and inclusion agenda. Precisely how much money the DOT spent on DEI under Buttigieg is unclear.

The New York Post claims Buttigieg spent $80 billion over four years while putting off much-needed improvements to the nation’s air traffic control infrastructure. The newspaper links to a DOT page listing the department’s accomplishments, including various grants. But nothing indicates $80 billion in total DEI funding, and Buttigieg’s office contests the figure.