Pete Buttigieg Backs EVs As 'The Future' - Sean Duffy-Led DOT Responds: 'Stay In Your Lane!'

Biden-era Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has drawn criticism from Sean Duffy-led Department of Transportation (DOT) for his support for EVs amid the current administration’s Pro-Internal Combustion Engine policies.

DOT Criticizes Pete Buttigieg

The former Transport Secretary shared his thoughts during an appearance at the Detroit Auto Show,  where he backed EVs as the future of mobility, the Detroit Free Press reported on Wednesday.

"There is no question about whether this technology will be the future of the sector," Buttigieg said during his appearance, but hinted at whether the administration's current policies could help America take charge. "There is a big question about whether the U.S. will lead that," he said.

The DOT's Rapid Response Handle took to the social media platform X, criticizing Buttigieg's comments as it quoted a post by the Detroit Free Press on Thursday. "Stay in your lane!" the post said.

Sean Duffy's Criticism Of Buttigieg

This isn't the first time that the Transport Secretary has criticized his previous administration counterpart. He had earlier slammed Buttigieg for letting vehicle inflation run wild, as the Trump administration has been touting affordability in the auto industry.

President Donald Trump has also criticized the previous administration and its "war" on internal combustion engines as Trump touted his move to relax Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards in the U.S., which ended the "EV mandate" in the domestic auto industry. Trump has taken a number of anti-EV policy decisions, including the end of the $7,500 EV Credit last year.

Gavin Newsom Slams Trump

However, Governor Gavin Newsom (D-Calif.) had slammed Trump for his policies, which he thinks are detrimental to EVs and would let China take the lead in the global electric vehicle and New Energy markets away from the U.S.

Elon Musk To Blame?

Interestingly, investor Ross Gerber of Gerber Kawasaki recently shared that Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) CEO Elon Musk could hold some blame for the rollback of EVs in the U.S. market, as the billionaire was instrumental in Trump's victory during the 2024 Presidential Election.

Mary Barra Reaffirms EVs

Interestingly, despite the wider scaling back of EV efforts, General Motors Co. (NYSE:GM) CEO Mary Barra reiterated her commitment to EVs, sharing that the technology would be crucial in the future. She shared that a robust charging network would drive adoption in the market, while also touting affordability as another important piece of the puzzle.

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