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On Wednesday, President-elect Joe Biden formally introduced Pete Buttigieg (the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana). Buttigieg is nominated to lead the Department of Transportation. Biden praised the Cabinet he has assembled so far as one that is “historic” and composed of nominees who would break barriers with their confirmations, including Buttigieg, who is poised to be the first openly gay Senate-approved member of the Cabinet. He said, “By the end of this process, this Cabinet will be the most representative of any Cabinet in American history,” Mr. Biden said. “We’ll have more people of color than any Cabinet ever. We’ll have more women than any Cabinet ever. We’ll have a Cabinet of barrier-breakers. A Cabinet of firsts”.

On Tuesday, the transition team of the president-elect announced that Biden tapped Buttigieg to lead the Transportation Department. His nomination was lauded by LGBTQ groups for its historic nature. Biden said, “I got to know Pete on the campaign trail. He’s one of the smartest people you’ll ever meet and one of the most humble”. He also admired Buttigieg as a new voice with new ideas, determined to move past old politics. President-elect said, “The department of transportation services a critical mission with critical responsibilities, particularly in this administration. We need someone who knows how to work with state, federal, and local agencies”. The former mayor of Indiana, Buttigieg skyrocketed to prominence during the Democratic presidential primaries.

Point to be noted that he is the youngest member in a vast field of candidates. He placed first in the Iowa caucuses and second in the New Hampshire primary. Buttigieg dropped out of the race before Super Tuesday and went on to endorse Biden. He will oversee an agency with nearly 55,000 employees nationwide and an annual budget of more than $85 billion after his confirmation. The president-elect has vowed to invest in modern, sustainable infrastructure. He also announced a $2 trillion plan this summer to build new infrastructure and boost clean energy, and Buttigieg would play a key role in executing that vision. It is noteworthy that Biden has steadily rolled out a number of White House appointees and announced nominees since the November Election.