Former transport secretary Pete Buttigieg addresses Iowa on Tuesday, feeding speculations that an offer for the White House is increasing in 2028.
On Tuesday night, Buttigieg, which served in the cabinet of President Joe Biden as secretary of the Department of Transportation, will make his public debut in person after the administration by heading a City Council with the Progressive Veterans’ Group Vote Vets Action Fund in Cedar Rapid.
His visit occurs after he did not rule out a presidential offer during an interview on Tuesday.
In this archive photo of February 3, 2020, Democratic presidential candidate, former mayor of South Bend, the mayor of Indiana, Pete Buttigieg, arrives at a surveillance party at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa.
Win McNamee/Getty images, file
In Live interview With independent journalist Anand Giridharadas on Tuesday, Buttigieg discussed his thinking process regarding running in general, and the potential to run for president in 2028 more specifically.
Before making such a decision, Buttigieg says that it has to “evaluate the office and what it requires” as well as “evaluate what I bring to the table.” He said he has used that process to decide to run for other positions.
“… there are times that I follow that process and decided to execute. And there are times when I followed that process and decided not to execute. And the process can take it to surprising places,” he said.
Even so, he said he is “very far” from a decision.
Buttigieg, former mayor of South Bend, Indian Formula for Harris, who finally chose Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.
Now Buttigieg will speak in Iowa, a state in which its Caucus often serves as the first indication of how US voters will choose their main candidates.
Mayor Paul Eaton, president of Votevets Action Fund, is expected to present Buttigieg as “a veteran companion and someone who understands what is at stake for all Americans,” according to the comments first shared with ABC News.
Eaton is expected to say that the reason why the group has chosen to celebrate its City Council in Iowa is to reach those “in the field, in Heartland, in a so -called red state, talking not only about what has happened but what we can do in response and how we can continue to press Trump, but also to the members of Congress who refuse to do their jobs.”
In March, Buttigieg ruled out for a seat or governor of the Senate in Michigan, and a source familiar with his thinking told ABC News at that time that Buttigieg was strongly positioned to launch another offer from the White House.
And in the first 100 days of the administration of President Donald Trump, Buttigieg has received his message distantly. He has launched his own subsack, appeared in numerous podcasts and has been a regular voice in cable news.
“Pete has always had a mentality to ‘go everywhere and talk to everyone.
But now Buttigieg is taking out its vision on the open path. And according to a spokesman, he does not stop with Iowa.
“You can expect to see it continue this conversation with Americans throughout the country,” said the spokesman.
And subtly hinted at this extended tour during the conclusion of its appearance in the Smartless Sirius XM Smartless podcast, presented by actors Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes and Will Arnett, commenting: “I will be close. I will be out there.”
This trip occurs when other Democrats whose names have circulated as a possible presidential material are making public appearances in important voting states. Both the governor of Maryland, Wes Moore and Walz, will be invited at the State Conference of the South Carolina Democratic Party at the end of the month. Walz will also appear at the California Democrats Convention that same weekend.
Moore and Walz have publicly denied plans for a 2028 presidential career.
Justin Gómez de ABC New contributed to this report.
