Pete Buttigieg ducks questions about late visit to Ohio train crash site

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg wasted little time Thursday sticking his foot in his mouth as he visited the Ohio village where a train carrying hazardous materials derailed nearly three weeks ago — telling reporters he was trying to strike a “balance” by not showing up sooner.

“What I tried to do was balance two things,” the 41-year-old Buttigieg told reporters during an awkward news conference. “My desire to be involved and engaged and on the ground, which is how I am generally wired to act, and my desire to follow the norm of transportation secretaries, allowing NTSB to really lead the initial stages of the public-facing work. -- More...

I asked Sec. Buttigieg why it took him almost 3 weeks to come and speak to residents of East Palestine.

His press Secretary then told me I was aggressive for trying to ask questions on camera: pic.twitter.com/bOB52DIq0O

— Savanah Hernandez (@sav_says_) February 23, 2023