Pete Buttigieg Criticizes Trump’s Efficiency Push Despite Struggles With EV Charger Rollout

Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg criticized the Trump administration’s new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) during a podcast appearance on Thursday, arguing that the effort to streamline government operations is overly broad and risks cutting critical programs.

Speaking on comedian Andrew Schulz’s podcast, Buttigieg claimed the Trump administration’s approach to improving government efficiency lacks substance and focuses too much on reducing spending without addressing underlying problems.

“They don’t have an answer. Their answer is burn it all down, right? If we haven’t solved poverty, their answer is ‘we’re gonna slash Medicaid,’ which is what the Republican budget moving through Congress right now will do, is slash Medicaid,” Buttigieg said.

“Medicaid may not be perfect. In fact, I know for a fact, like many issues come up in the way it’s administered, the way people have access to it. But I also know for a fact that if your answer to that is just to cut out a bunch of poor people, or VA, like any veteran can tell you the horror stories of all the times things didn’t go right in dealing with the VA. But, if you think the answer is to just cut it or privatize it, that’s not an answer. We can do better than that, and I think my party’s job is to make clear what that looks like and how we would do it better.”

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President Donald Trump has publicly stated that Republicans do not plan to eliminate Medicaid.

However, Democrats, including Buttigieg, continue to argue that Republican budget proposals would result in significant reductions to the program.

Buttigieg summarized his comments in a Thursday post to X, sharing a clip from the podcast appearance.

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“If we’re serious about more efficient government and better everyday life in America — which we all should be — that means actually improving government, not cutting health care for poor people and slashing support for veterans,” he wrote.

If we’re serious about more efficient government and better everyday life in America – which we all should be – that means actually improving government, not cutting health care for poor people and slashing support for veterans. pic.twitter.com/LR2s8RfWIJ

— Pete Buttigieg (@PeteButtigieg) April 24, 2025

Buttigieg’s remarks come as he continues to maintain a public profile following the transition to the Trump administration.

Some political observers have speculated that Buttigieg could be preparing for a future presidential run in 2028.

While Buttigieg critiques the Trump administration’s plans for government reform, questions remain about his own record during his tenure at the Department of Transportation.

As transportation secretary, Buttigieg oversaw the distribution of $7.5 billion from the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure bill, aimed at building electric vehicle (EV) charging stations across the United States.

However, by November 2024, only a few dozen charging stations had been completed, according to Politico.

One factor contributing to the slow progress was the inclusion of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) provisions tied to the federal funding.

Developers seeking to access funds were required to meet certain DEI benchmarks, including hosting community events such as “neighborhood block parties,” which delayed the rollout of the EV infrastructure.

Despite the funding and initial public support, the limited number of operational chargers has drawn criticism from both sides of the political aisle, with critics pointing to bureaucratic obstacles and administrative inefficiencies during Buttigieg’s tenure.

The debate over how best to reform and streamline government services is likely to continue as the Trump administration advances its plans through the newly created DOGE, while figures like Buttigieg advocate for different approaches.

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