Pete Buttigieg
Person
Pete Buttigieg is an American politician who serves as the United States Secretary of Transportation. He previously served as the mayor of South Bend, Indiana, and was a candidate for the Democratic nomination in the 2020 United States presidential election.
What Pete Buttigieg has said on podcasts
50 statements
The United States is close to losing its democracy.
“we're on the brink of losing our democracy, and we're running out of time to do something about it.”
Open the episode · Secretary Pete Buttigieg: The American Dream Is DEAD. We're Running Out Of Time To Fix It!Listen at 0:26
The American Dream formerly occurred for nine in ten Americans.
“Economically, that used to happen for nine out of 10Americans.”
Open the episode · Secretary Pete Buttigieg: The American Dream Is DEAD. We're Running Out Of Time To Fix It!Listen at 2:46
American democracy can survive if necessary reforms are implemented.
“I think it will. I believe it will if we do what we have to do.”
Open the episode · Secretary Pete Buttigieg: The American Dream Is DEAD. We're Running Out Of Time To Fix It!Listen at 2:46
Denmark currently offers the highest likelihood of achieving the American Dream.
“the place where you're most likely to live out the American dream right now is Denmark.”
Open the episode · Secretary Pete Buttigieg: The American Dream Is DEAD. We're Running Out Of Time To Fix It!Listen at 2:46
The United States tax system taxes labor more heavily than wealth.
“they tax work more than they tax wealth.”
Open the episode · Secretary Pete Buttigieg: The American Dream Is DEAD. We're Running Out Of Time To Fix It!Listen at 4:27
Extreme economic and political inequality destabilizes society.
“when inequality reaches a certain level and when the inequality of power follows the economic inequality to a certain level, that's when I think you start to have earthquakes in the society”
Open the episode · Secretary Pete Buttigieg: The American Dream Is DEAD. We're Running Out Of Time To Fix It!Listen at 4:27
U.S. inflation is currently higher than when Trump assumed office.
“right now, inflation's higher than it was the day he took over.”
Open the episode · Secretary Pete Buttigieg: The American Dream Is DEAD. We're Running Out Of Time To Fix It!Listen at 5:38
Democrats should offer policies better than both current and previous conditions.
“Democrats have a responsibility to present something that is better. Not just better than now, but it's gotta be better than before.”
Open the episode · Secretary Pete Buttigieg: The American Dream Is DEAD. We're Running Out Of Time To Fix It!Listen at 7:44
The president lacks a clear plan for the Iran war.
“the president doesn't seem to have a plan. He can't explain why we're there.”
Open the episode · Secretary Pete Buttigieg: The American Dream Is DEAD. We're Running Out Of Time To Fix It!Listen at 13:10
The Iran war has increased prices and caused troop deaths.
“Prices are higher, troops have lost their lives”
Open the episode · Secretary Pete Buttigieg: The American Dream Is DEAD. We're Running Out Of Time To Fix It!Listen at 13:10
Ending a war is more difficult than initiating one.
“it is harder to stop a war than it is to start one.”
Open the episode · Secretary Pete Buttigieg: The American Dream Is DEAD. We're Running Out Of Time To Fix It!Listen at 15:22
Countries will need international mechanisms to prevent AI-enabled bioweapons.
“There's going to have to be some way for countries that do not trust each other today to coordinate on things like making sure AI doesn't lead to bioweapons being made by rogue actors”
Open the episode · Secretary Pete Buttigieg: The American Dream Is DEAD. We're Running Out Of Time To Fix It!Listen at 15:42
The next president will face the most challenging security environment since the Cold War.
“The security picture, I think, will be more challenging for the next President than it's been for any President since the Cold War.”
Open the episode · Secretary Pete Buttigieg: The American Dream Is DEAD. We're Running Out Of Time To Fix It!Listen at 15:42
Future presidents must exercise wise, unbiased judgment free from corruption.
“we're going to need wisdom, we're going to need judgment, and we're going to need judgment that is not twisted or changed or colored or biased based on corrupt reasons.”
Open the episode · Secretary Pete Buttigieg: The American Dream Is DEAD. We're Running Out Of Time To Fix It!Listen at 17:23
The United States should avoid entering wars whenever reasonable alternatives exist.
“The only good way to do it is to not be there in the first place.”
Open the episode · Secretary Pete Buttigieg: The American Dream Is DEAD. We're Running Out Of Time To Fix It!Listen at 19:02
Iran now has greater motivation but less capacity to develop nuclear weapons.
“they may have less capacity, but they certainly have more motivation at this point.”
Open the episode · Secretary Pete Buttigieg: The American Dream Is DEAD. We're Running Out Of Time To Fix It!Listen at 21:55
- on Diplomacy and Iran nuclear proliferationPositiveAug 3, 2026· The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett
Diplomacy is the best way to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
“The best way to do that was through diplomacy.”
Open the episode · Secretary Pete Buttigieg: The American Dream Is DEAD. We're Running Out Of Time To Fix It!Listen at 22:02
Iran should not be permitted to acquire nuclear weapons.
“No, they should not be allowed to have nuclear weapons.”
Open the episode · Secretary Pete Buttigieg: The American Dream Is DEAD. We're Running Out Of Time To Fix It!Listen at 22:02
Netanyahu’s actions suggest support for a Greater Israel beyond current borders.
“it is hard to believe that he is comfortable with anything less.”
Open the episode · Secretary Pete Buttigieg: The American Dream Is DEAD. We're Running Out Of Time To Fix It!Listen at 25:48
Trump’s policies are broadly destructive.
“most of his policies are terribly destructive.”
Open the episode · Secretary Pete Buttigieg: The American Dream Is DEAD. We're Running Out Of Time To Fix It!Listen at 32:43
Government leaders should adopt some of Trump’s bias toward action.
“I think we could learn a bit from that.”
Open the episode · Secretary Pete Buttigieg: The American Dream Is DEAD. We're Running Out Of Time To Fix It!Listen at 32:43
Political leaders should acknowledge limits and rely on more knowledgeable advisers.
“politics requires you to be a little bit humble about how much you don't know and surround yourself by people who are smarter than you”
Open the episode · Secretary Pete Buttigieg: The American Dream Is DEAD. We're Running Out Of Time To Fix It!Listen at 34:37
AI may disrupt workers’ identities as well as their employment.
“there is a generation of workers who are about to have their identity, not just their job, their identity disrupted.”
Open the episode · Secretary Pete Buttigieg: The American Dream Is DEAD. We're Running Out Of Time To Fix It!Listen at 37:20
AI’s social outcomes will depend primarily on policy choices, not technology itself.
“which of those things happen. It's actually not something that's in the technology. It's not a tech question, it's a policy choice.”
Open the episode · Secretary Pete Buttigieg: The American Dream Is DEAD. We're Running Out Of Time To Fix It!Listen at 37:20
AI could produce shorter workweeks and higher incomes or greater wealth concentration.
“Either we're looking at a future where because of AI, we have a shorter work week and more money in our pocket, or we're looking at a future where there is even more extreme concentration of wealth and power in this country than we've already got.”
Open the episode · Secretary Pete Buttigieg: The American Dream Is DEAD. We're Running Out Of Time To Fix It!Listen at 37:20
Automation will increasingly shift economic importance toward ownership of AI and robotics.
“more and more is going to depend on who actually owns the machine.”
Open the episode · Secretary Pete Buttigieg: The American Dream Is DEAD. We're Running Out Of Time To Fix It!Listen at 41:32
A public dividend from AI-created value could be appropriate.
“some version of a dividend makes sense.”
Open the episode · Secretary Pete Buttigieg: The American Dream Is DEAD. We're Running Out Of Time To Fix It!Listen at 43:05
Redistributing AI-generated value could create shorter workweeks and higher incomes.
“You do that, we really could have a shorter work week and more money in our pocket.”
Open the episode · Secretary Pete Buttigieg: The American Dream Is DEAD. We're Running Out Of Time To Fix It!Listen at 43:05
The public should receive a share of AI companies’ profits or ownership.
“I do think a public share of the profits, which could mean a public share of the ownership, can make sense.”
Open the episode · Secretary Pete Buttigieg: The American Dream Is DEAD. We're Running Out Of Time To Fix It!Listen at 46:41
A wealth tax could appropriately form part of the tax system.
“wealth tax, which is a property tax by another name, can be part of the menu of taxes.”
Open the episode · Secretary Pete Buttigieg: The American Dream Is DEAD. We're Running Out Of Time To Fix It!Listen at 51:48
Higher taxes on very wealthy people are justified.
“Higher taxes for very wealthy people is an idea that is broadly popular. I think it's the right thing to do.”
Open the episode · Secretary Pete Buttigieg: The American Dream Is DEAD. We're Running Out Of Time To Fix It!Listen at 51:48
The U.S. tax system generally taxes billionaires at lower effective rates than millionaires.
“We, even in percentage terms, generally tax billionaires less than we tax millionaires”
Open the episode · Secretary Pete Buttigieg: The American Dream Is DEAD. We're Running Out Of Time To Fix It!Listen at 51:48
U.S. wealth should make universal healthcare and strong public services affordable.
“This is the wealthiest economy in the world. It just doesn't add up that we can't have nice things.”
Open the episode · Secretary Pete Buttigieg: The American Dream Is DEAD. We're Running Out Of Time To Fix It!Listen at 55:56
Higher capital-gains and corporate taxes could produce a fairer country.
“if we had a more reasonable rate of taxation on capital gains and on corporate income, and if we Made it harder to pass along wealth”
Open the episode · Secretary Pete Buttigieg: The American Dream Is DEAD. We're Running Out Of Time To Fix It!Listen at 55:56
Unsustainable U.S. debt and politics will lead to reform or catastrophe.
“I believe one of two things can happen, reform or catastrophe.”
Open the episode · Secretary Pete Buttigieg: The American Dream Is DEAD. We're Running Out Of Time To Fix It!Listen at 58:53
Rising U.S. debt could trigger a currency crisis or major tax-code changes.
“It could be a cause of a currency crisis or force us to redo our whole tax code within the next few years.”
Open the episode · Secretary Pete Buttigieg: The American Dream Is DEAD. We're Running Out Of Time To Fix It!Listen at 58:53
The United States should ban partisan gerrymandering.
“ban gerrymandering”
Open the episode · Secretary Pete Buttigieg: The American Dream Is DEAD. We're Running Out Of Time To Fix It!Listen at 1:02:14
The U.S. should elect presidents by nationwide popular vote.
“Should we not be a country where everybody's vote counts the same? That would mean a popular vote for the President's. We ought to do that.”
Open the episode · Secretary Pete Buttigieg: The American Dream Is DEAD. We're Running Out Of Time To Fix It!Listen at 1:02:14
Kamala Harris would be a good president.
“I thought she'd be a very good president.”
Open the episode · Secretary Pete Buttigieg: The American Dream Is DEAD. We're Running Out Of Time To Fix It!Listen at 1:15:30
Gavin Newsom understands how to communicate effectively in the modern attention environment.
“he understands how to break through in this kind of attention world that we're in”
Open the episode · Secretary Pete Buttigieg: The American Dream Is DEAD. We're Running Out Of Time To Fix It!Listen at 1:15:44
A competitive selection process would likely have improved Harris’s candidacy.
“I think that even if the candidate had still been Kamala Harris, I think she likely would have been a better candidate.”
Open the episode · Secretary Pete Buttigieg: The American Dream Is DEAD. We're Running Out Of Time To Fix It!Listen at 1:19:15
The Electoral College should be abolished and the Supreme Court reformed.
“Electoral College, for sure. Supreme Court needs to change.”
Open the episode · Secretary Pete Buttigieg: The American Dream Is DEAD. We're Running Out Of Time To Fix It!Listen at 1:20:51
The Supreme Court should have term limits, more justices, and less partisan selection.
“I would have term limits, more justices, and some process that makes it less partisan who the justices are.”
Open the episode · Secretary Pete Buttigieg: The American Dream Is DEAD. We're Running Out Of Time To Fix It!Listen at 1:21:50
A constitutional amendment should remove corporate political spending’s speech protections.
“We need to clarify that corporate spending is not speech and corporations are not citizens people in the same way that a human being is.”
Open the episode · Secretary Pete Buttigieg: The American Dream Is DEAD. We're Running Out Of Time To Fix It!Listen at 1:22:38
Corporate dark money in super PACs should be legally restricted.
“you can't put unlimited unaccountable corporate dark money into a super PAC to manipulate how an election's going to go.”
Open the episode · Secretary Pete Buttigieg: The American Dream Is DEAD. We're Running Out Of Time To Fix It!Listen at 1:23:15
DOGE was a failure as a government-efficiency effort.
“the failure of Doge”
Open the episode · Secretary Pete Buttigieg: The American Dream Is DEAD. We're Running Out Of Time To Fix It!Listen at 1:26:37
U.S. federal spending was higher after DOGE than before it.
“leaving a federal government that actually spent more after Doge than before.”
Open the episode · Secretary Pete Buttigieg: The American Dream Is DEAD. We're Running Out Of Time To Fix It!Listen at 1:26:37
Economic advancement is less common in America than abroad and historically.
“it happens less in America than in certain other countries and it happens less in America than it used to in America.”
Open the episode · Secretary Pete Buttigieg: The American Dream Is DEAD. We're Running Out Of Time To Fix It!Listen at 1:32:13
The United States should provide paid family leave and support caregiving.
“Make sure that we make it easier to have a family. Things like paid family leave”
Open the episode · Secretary Pete Buttigieg: The American Dream Is DEAD. We're Running Out Of Time To Fix It!Listen at 1:35:11
- on American political and economic conditionsMixedAug 3, 2026· The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett
America’s current problems can change, but only through deliberate collective action.
“it doesn't have to be like this, but it's not going to change on its own.”
Open the episode · Secretary Pete Buttigieg: The American Dream Is DEAD. We're Running Out Of Time To Fix It!Listen at 1:52:05
Statements are attributed to the speaker as said on the episode and reflect their view at the time, not PodLume's. They are not advice.
2 episodes featuring Pete Buttigieg
The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett
Pete Buttigieg warns systemic failures threaten the future of American democracy
As political polarization and economic inequality deepen, one of the Democratic Party's key voices outlines the structural changes needed to restore faith in American institutions.
Aug 3, 2026 · 1h 55m
Modern Wisdom
Ezra Klein analyzes how the attention economy distorts American politics
As digital platforms reshape how citizens process information, understanding the intersection of media incentives and political polarization is vital for preserving democratic governance.
Jun 22, 2026 · 2h 9m