Pete Buttigieg slams Fox News over its crusade against electric vehicles

Out Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg slammed Fox News for its Luddite opposition to electric vehicles while appearing on Fox News.

The conservative network has a vendetta against electric vehicles that intensified when the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) introduced new emissions standards in April 2023. The network has run many negative stories about electric vehicles while its pundits claim that electric vehicles call into question one’s masculinity.

Related: Pete Buttigieg subtly slams Marjorie Taylor Greene for saying he’s “emasculating” cars

“To be honest, there are other members of Congress that I pay more attention to.”

Moreover, conservatives generally have attacked Buttigieg for his support of electric vehicles ever since he was confirmed as transportation secretary, despite the fact that electric vehicles have been shown to reduce carbon emissions. One Congressmember even accused Buttigieg of trying to “emasculate the way we drive” by supporting environmentally friendly transportation.

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So it was perhaps not surprising that Fox’s John Roberts brought up electric vehicles while interviewing Buttigieg on the network. He noted that Tesla – a major manufacturer of electric vehicles – saw a drop in sales in the first quarter of 2024, although that drop has been attributed to increasing competition from other manufacturers.

“The administration continues to shove them down consumers’ throats!” Roberts said. “Why?”

Buttigieg noted that sales of electric vehicles have been increasing each year, despite Tesla’s woes. He also cited increasing competition for Tesla.

Then he called out Fox News.

“Sometimes, when these debates happen, I feel like it’s the early 2000s, and I’m talking to some people who think that we can just have landline phones forever,” he said. “The reality is that the automotive sector is moving toward EVs, and the U.S. can either fall behind China or claim the lead.”

“President Biden wants to make sure that those EVs are made in America, especially, again, as more Americans choose EVs every single year than the year before.”

Pete Buttigieg on Fox News on EVs: "Sometimes when these debates happen, I feel like it's the early 2000s and I'm talking to people who think we can just have landline phones forever." pic.twitter.com/zrJHsaxjz4

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 2, 2024

People on X loved his response.

Cutting their bullshit narrative off at the knees.

— Heather Thomas (@HeatherThomasAF) April 2, 2024

Henry Ford: “If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.”

— Paul Biedermann (@PaulBiedermann) April 2, 2024

Sometime I think they invite Pete on just so they can get owned, again and again and again…

— Just Joe (@Just__Joe_) April 2, 2024

I think that’s how everyone feels trying to explain things to republicans. just talking to a brick wall at this point.

— Herman Davis lll (@bigherm2020) April 2, 2024

Has anyone reading this had an EV "shoved down their throat" by the government?

— KevinlyFather