Overview

• President Trump, at a White House press conference primarily focused on a UK trade deal, launched personal attacks on former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg when asked about air traffic control modernization.
• Trump mocked Buttigieg for biking to work with his husband and labeled him 'clueless,' while also referencing him as a potential Democratic presidential contender alongside Rep. Jasmine Crockett.
• The remarks came in response to a question about recent air traffic control software issues following an outage at Newark Liberty International Airport.
• Social media users, political commentators, and activists widely condemned the comments as homophobic and cruel, highlighting Trump’s history of using personal attacks to shift focus from policy issues.
• As of May 8, the White House has not issued a retraction or apology, and Buttigieg has not responded publicly to the remarks.