Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg rejected a claim Sunday that President Joe Biden is joining the picket line of auto workers in Michigan only because former President Donald Trump announced a visit to the state.
“President Biden is doing what he has always done, which is to stand with American workers,” Buttigieg said on CNN’s “State of the Union.” “He is proud of being the most pro-union, pro-worker president, not only compared to the Trump administration, with its anti-union policies, but really compared to any modern president.”
Biden announced on Friday that he plans to travel to Michigan on Tuesday to join the picket line of auto workers on strike nationwide. The president’s plan to visit Michigan came as some Democrats began to question his response to the strike.
On late Friday, Trump posted to his social media platform Truth Social that Biden was only visiting Michigan because Trump planned a visit on Wednesday, the same day as the second Republican primary debate. Jason Miller, a spokesperson for Trump, also criticized Biden’s decision to go to Detroit in his own post on X.
“You’re not going to find somebody who has more consistently stood with unions,” Buttigieg said of Biden.
“Having said that,” he said, “it’s also the case that these auto companies can thrive in a win-win deal that does what the president has called for, which is to say that record profits should lead to record pay and record benefits for the workers who are creating all of that benefit.”
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) said on CBS’ “Face the Nation” Sunday that Biden showing up to the picket line on Tuesday is a “historic event” and that if Biden wants to gain the endorsement of UAW, he needs to earn it.
“We have never seen in modern history a president show up to a picket line like this and I think it should be earned, it needs to be earned and I believe President Biden is working toward that, especially when he lands in Michigan on Tuesday to earn that,” Ocasio-Cortez said.
Evan Massoud is a political analyst with a knack for dissecting policy and governance. He provides readers with informed perspectives on political developments at home and abroad. Evan’s dedication to civic engagement extends to volunteering in local politics.
