Pete Buttigieg Discusses Democratic Party’s Future Amid Distrust in Government

New York City, NY — Former U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg discussed the future of the Democratic Party and the issue of government trust in a recent NPR interview. Buttigieg emphasized that Democrats cannot return to the status quo before former President Donald Trump, a viewpoint he shared during his appearance on the NPR Up First podcast on July 28, 2025.

Buttigieg warned against merely restoring what was damaged under Trump’s administration. He stated, “You’ve got an administration that is burning down so many of the most important institutions that we have in this country, which is wrong.” He believes Democrats should embrace change rather than merely tape together the old structures.

The former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, argued that the party’s fixation on the past contributed to its struggles in the 2024 election. He said, “The Democrats have been too attached to a status quo that has been failing us for a long time.” He specified that reliability on past institutions like the Department of Education lacks foresight for future needs.

Buttigieg also addressed a broader concern regarding societal trust, linking the issues surrounding Jeffrey Epstein’s scandal to public skepticism towards governmental transparency. “You shouldn’t have to be a Republican or a Democrat to care about making sure there’s transparency on something as horrific as the abuses that happened,” he said.

The former transportation secretary shared insights about President Joe Biden‘s condition as he ages, denying any claim that his administration obscured the president’s health status. “I told the truth, which is that he was old. You could see that he was old,” Buttigieg stated.

Amid these discussions, Buttigieg expressed worries about fear in politics today, stating, “The fear of losing funding is already impacting who gets invited to speak at a university or who gets hired at a law firm… We can’t allow that.” He emphasized the need for courageous political actions as an antidote to fear.

In a lighter moment, he reflected on a historical observation regarding presidential facial hair, noting that he has grown a beard since his time in office. When questioned about potentially shaving it for a future candidacy in 2028, Buttigieg remained non-committal, refusing to confirm plans for running.