Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, both Midwestern Democrats, have maintained a positive and cordial relationship. Buttigieg, a retired Marine, has publicly supported Walz amidst controversies surrounding his National Guard service record.
Despite Buttigieg facing transportation crises during his tenure in the Biden administration, Walz has refrained from publicly criticizing him. In fact, Walz highlighted the receipt of $16 million in federal funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, championed by Biden and Buttigieg. This funding is intended to enhance highway safety, with Walz attributing the need for these improvements to the impact of climate change on transportation infrastructure.
Walz emphasized the importance of addressing current and future resiliency needs in the face of climate change. Notably, he did not condemn Buttigieg when supply chain issues, affecting Minnesota and other states, arose nationwide following the pandemic.
