“A masterclass”: Pete Buttigieg reads Trump’s cabinet for filth in viral interview
Former U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg wowed left-wing listeners with his recent takedown of the current administration. Speaking to NPR on Monday, the former and possibly future presidential candidate laid out the reasons why he thinks President Donald Trump's normally loyal base could turn on him.
Pete Buttigieg on the Trump administration's Ls
On July 28, 2025, Buttigieg appeared on NPR's Morning Edition to speak on Trump's flamethrower approach to governing and how Democrats also need to turn away from the status quo, but not like that.
During one part of the interview, which soon spread on X as a clip, he explained why he thinks that the actions of this administration are going to backfire come 2028.
"I think there are moments where he has revealed how little respect he has for his own supporters," he said of Trump.
"It's one of the reasons why I think the Epstein saga is especially relevant—because by telling them that this was important and that he would do something, and then by turning around and saying he won't do something and that they're stupid if they care about this, he's putting his thumb in their eye even more than usual."
He went on to say that the Democrats need to break from academic language and speak plainly to average people on how Trump and his cabinet are impacting their lives. Serving as an example, he listed the screw-ups of some of the highest figures.
"So right now we have the Secretary of Defense ... who was accidentally texting military strike information to journalists," he pointed out. "We have the person in charge of American public health who is a quack who doesn't believe in medicine, and now measles is on the rise."
He further dragged Secretary of Education Linda E. McMahon for calling AI "A1" and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem for delaying funds to the flood victims in Texas.
"I have never seen a more brutal takedown"
As the clip went viral on X, left-leaning users heaped praise upon what they feel may be an example of someone who can finally break through to the right. Buttigieg fan account @PeteReceipts was the first to laud him for this part of the interview after posting the clip on Tuesday.
"NOBODY else in the Democratic Party can do what Pete Buttigieg does in this clip off the cuff," they declared. "That flow of him torching Trump’s cabinet one by one."
Many commenters agree.
"Whew. I have never seen a more brutal takedown of Trump’s cabinet than Pete Buttigieg here," said @Victorshi2020. "No academic, high-brow rhetoric. Just simple, vivid language that everyone can understand & get behind. A masterclass from Pete."
"Pete just seamlessly rattles off an itemized list of how Trump's Cabinet officials have f*cked up and how it impacts your life," wrote @nerdypursuit.
Meanwhile, some expressed that this is exactly what they have been looking for all along in a Democratic leader.
"More. Of. This. From Pete. From Democrats. MORE," demanded @necarton.
"He sounds more Presidential than Trump," said @litomutha. "I hope he runs. Everything he speaks about here is truth and the USA needs this now."
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