Buttigieg Spent $80 Billion On DEI, Half DOT’s Budget, Instead Of Upgrading Air Traffic Control: Report

While the Trump administration has faced criticism for air traffic control outages and errors over the last year, recent developments suggest the current crisis may actually be rooted in the Biden administration (big surprise, we know…)

That’s because under Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, systemic issues with outdated infrastructure, controller shortages, and mounting flight delays worsened—even as the Department of Transportation (DOT) diverted massive resources toward diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, according to a new report by the NY Post.

During his tenure, Buttigieg allegedly showed little interest in modernizing ATC systems. “He was definitely pushing an agenda,” said one industry official. “Little to no interest” was given to fixing the aging infrastructure, and “definitely zero action” was taken, they added.

In a meeting with airline executives, Buttigieg reportedly dismissed the need for upgrades, saying improvements would simply let them “fly more planes, and so why would that be in his interest?”

Instead, the Post exclusive notes that the DOT approved around 400 DEI-related grants between 2021 and 2024 totaling over $80 billion—more than half of the agency’s typical annual budget. By comparison, the previous administration approved just 60 such grants for only a few billion dollars.

Critics argue this redirection of priorities came at a cost. In January 2023, a major FAA system failure caused the first nationwide flight grounding since 9/11. Meanwhile, air traffic controller staffing has remained dangerously low. A 2024 industry letter warned it could take up to 90 years to meet staffing needs at key control centers at the current pace.

DOT spokesperson Chris Meagher defended Buttigieg’s record, calling it “absurd” to claim he neglected modernization. He cited increased hiring, improved flight routes, upgraded runway software, and $5 billion in infrastructure funds for towers and power systems. He also blamed congressional Republicans for blocking Biden’s FY2025 request for an additional $8 billion.

“Secretary Buttigieg’s focus was always on safety — not just in aviation, but also on roads and bridges,” Meagher said.

But industry officials counter that the FAA has operated with only 80% of its needed air traffic controllers since at least 2017. Retirements and high dropout rates persist, contributing to cascading delays. One official explained, “No matter what the original cause of the delay was, that always gets tagged to us as our fault.”

DOT data shows nearly 80% of flights were on time from 2021 to 2025, with just 10.6% of cancellations blamed on the national aviation system. Still, critics say Buttigieg spent more time on media appearances and blaming airlines than addressing the FAA’s core challenges.

Twelve days before the 2024 election, DOT announced a rule requiring airlines to compensate passengers up to $1,000 for delays and cancellations—a move some industry leaders called political theater.

Meagher defended the consumer focus, highlighting new refund requirements, protections for parents traveling with children, and $4 billion in refunds secured through investigations. He also argued the DEI spending didn’t affect the FAA, saying, “You can walk and chew gum at the same time.”

Still, Buttigieg’s critics argue his department failed to prioritize modernization. Former FAA official David Grizzle noted there were “no remarkable achievements in aviation” under his leadership but said it’s not unusual for transportation secretaries to focus more on roads than airspace.

Meanwhile, under Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, the Trump administration secured $12.5 billion through its “Big Beautiful Bill” to overhaul the FAA’s outdated systems.

“It’s not so much that prior administrations have been especially indifferent; he’s just been exceedingly attentive,” Grizzle said of Duffy. “He will stand out for decades as one of the most engaged secretaries we’ve had.”