Pete Buttigieg Says Biden Running Again Was 'maybe' A Mistake

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA - Pete Buttigieg, who served arsenic Transportation caput for 4 years successful then-President Joe Biden's Cabinet, says that his erstwhile boss' determination to activity re-election successful 2024 "maybe" wounded nan Democrats.

Additionally, Buttigieg – whose travel to Iowa this week sparked further speculation that he is earnestly considering a 2028 White House tally – erstwhile asked if nan Democratic Party would person been amended disconnected if Biden had ruled retired moving for a 2nd word arsenic president, acknowledged that "with nan use of hindsight, I deliberation astir group would work together that that’s nan case."

Buttigieg's comments – arsenic he took questions from reporters aft holding a ample municipality hallway pinch veterans and subject families successful this eastbound Iowa metropolis connected Tuesday nighttime – came amid excerpts from a caller book titled, "Original Sin: President Biden’s Decline, Its Cover-up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again," which connection claims of a White House cover-up of nan then-president's alleged cognitive decline.

Biden dropped retired of nan White House title past July, 1 period aft a disastrous statement capacity pinch now-President Donald Trump that sparked a chorus of calls from chap Democrats for nan then-81-year-old president to extremity his re-election bid. He was replaced astatine nan apical of nan summons by then-Vice President Kamala Harris, who ended up losing November's statesmanlike predetermination to Trump.

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Then-President Joe Biden dropped his re-election bid little than a period aft a disastrous statement capacity against now-President Donald Trump successful Atlanta connected June 27, 2024. (Kevin D. Liles for The Washington Post via Getty Images)

When asked whether Biden knowledgeable cognitive decline, Buttigieg told reporters that "every clip I needed thing from him from nan West Wing, I sewage it." 

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"The clip I worked closest pinch him successful his last twelvemonth was astir nan Baltimore span collapse. And what I tin show you is that nan aforesaid president nan world saw addressing that was nan president I was successful nan Oval with, insisting that we do a bully job, do correct by Baltimore. And that was characteristic of my acquisition pinch him," he added.

Then-President Joe Biden, right, speaks alongside then-Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg during a briefing connected Hurricane Helene consequence and betterment efforts, successful nan Roosevelt Room of nan White House connected Oct. 1, 2024 successful Washington, D.C. ( SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)

Buttigieg won nan 2020 Iowa statesmanlike caucuses and came successful a adjacent 2nd successful nan New Hampshire statesmanlike superior earlier Biden surged to declare nan party's information and later nan White House.

While Iowa's caucuses for half a period kicked disconnected some awesome governmental parties' statesmanlike nominating calendars, nan Democratic National Committee demoted nan Hawkeye State connected their 2024 schedule, and it is unclear if Iowa will regain its early authorities position successful nan 2028 calendar.

WHAT BUTTIGIEG TOLD FOX NEWS - IN IOWA- ABOUT A POSSIBLE 2028 RUN

However, Buttigieg's visit, on pinch his announcement successful March that he would walk connected a 2026 tally for a Democrat-controlled unfastened Senate spot successful battleground Michigan, his adopted location state, are seen arsenic signals of his liking successful a imaginable 2028 nationalist run.

Buttigieg told a Substack writer successful a unrecorded question and reply hours earlier nan municipality hallway that erstwhile it comes to 2028, he would see "what I bring to nan table."

Former U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg headlines a veterans municipality hallway successful Cedar Rapids, Iowa connected May 13, 2025. Buttigieg's quality sparked speculation he whitethorn make different statesmanlike tally successful 2028. (Fox News - Paul Steinhauser)

However, erstwhile asked by Fox News if the travel to Iowa – wherever he besides gathered pinch staffers from his 2020 run and was followed astir by a videographer from his governmental group Win nan Era – was nan opening of an appraisal period, Buttigieg said "right now, I’m not moving for thing and portion of what’s breathtaking and compelling astir an opportunity for illustration this is to beryllium campaigning for values and for ideas alternatively than a circumstantial electoral campaign. So that's what I'm about."

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When told astir assemblage members who said they supported him successful 2020 and would beryllium willing successful backing him again if he runs successful 2028, Buttigieg said, "of course, it intends a batch to perceive that group who supported maine past proceed to judge successful what I person to say."

The Cedar Rapids arena was hosted by VoteVets, a progressive group that represents veterans and subject families successful nan governmental process. The group told Fox News that 1,800 group attended nan event.