Inspector General set to Audit Pete Buttigieg’s Government Jet Use After Request from Sen Rubio

The Transportation Department Office of Inspector General is set to audit Pete Buttigieg’s use of government airplanes for trips.

The department will review 18 flights Buttigieg made on FAA planes during 7 trips. This comes after a request was made by U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL).

Buttigieg addressed the audit on Twitter:

“Glad this will be reviewed independently so misleading narratives can be put to rest. Bottom line: I mostly fly on commercial flights, in economy class. And when I do use our agency’s aircraft, it’s usually a situation where doing so saves taxpayer money.”

Glad this will be reviewed independently so misleading narratives can be put to rest.

Bottom line: I mostly fly on commercial flights, in economy class. And when I do use our agency’s aircraft, it’s usually a situation where doing so saves taxpayer money. https://t.co/wUtBtjx9CT

— Secretary Pete Buttigieg (@SecretaryPete) February 27, 2023

The broad review will look over trips as far back as 2017.

Rubio sent a letter to the Inspector General back in December of 2022 requesting a “review of Secretary Pete Buttigieg’s adherence to federal regulation” as well as the DOT “policies and procedures for travel,” be done.

The request was filed by a Fox News report that alleged Buttigieg had used government gets to fly across the country and internationally 18 times. Rubio adds, “approximately $5,000 per hour to use aircraft in its fleet.”

Taking the matter seriously it appears that the IG will be looking into air travel taken by the DOT Secretary from the end of 2017 to now.

Rubio’s letter also reads, “If these reports are confirmed, it would represent yet another troubling example of this administration’s continued willingness to skirt basic ethics rules.”