Pete Buttigieg Hits Fox News Host's 'Fascist' Trump Question With Fact Check

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg swiftly hit back at Fox News host Neil Cavuto on Sunday after he was asked whether Donald Trump is a fascist.

Cavuto, in an interview with Buttigieg, claimed that Vice President Kamala Harris called Trump a fascist without mentioning that she agreed to the description after John Kelly the former presidents longest-serving chief of staff used the label for his ex-boss.

Thats no way to break bread and make peace, Cavuto added.

She said that she did not disagree with his chief of staff who said that, somebody who knows him well. And again , Buttigieg said of Kelly, a retired U.S. Marine Corps general.

Do you think do you think that, mayor, that Donald Trump is a fascist. Do you think hes that? the Fox News host asked, using Buttigiegs title from when he was mayor of South Bend, Indiana.

I dont think General Kelly is wrong. He knows Donald Trump much better than I do and I would not contradict General Kelly in his assessment of his former boss, Buttigieg replied.

Moments earlier, Cavuto noted efforts by Buttigieg a Harris campaign surrogate to reach out to Republicans in areas not generally seen as a blue wall bastion such as Midland, Texas.

He further pointed to Buttigiegs call with billionaire Trump backer Elon Musk , who implied on X (formerly Twitter) that the Federal Emergency Management Agency was shutting down airways to prevent Hurricane Helene recovery efforts.

Cavuto claimed that Harris hasnt made similar efforts to communicate with conservatives and asked if the vice president will regret such a strategy.

Im not sure I can agree with the premise of that question, replied Buttigieg, who noted that he hasnt seen another Democratic presidential candidate pledge to include Republicans in their Cabinet and invite prominent GOP elected officials to campaign with her .

The transportation secretary later noted that Americans have never seen a former presidents chief of staff or his vice president not support him.

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And by the same token, weve never seen a Democrat have that many Republicans who do support her, he said.

But I think the most important thing is the difference in the closing message between him talking about turning guns on people who disagree with them and her saying that if youre a Republican, you will have a seat at the table in my administration.

CAVUTO: She called him a fascist

BUTTIGIEG: She said that she did not disagree with his chief of staff who said that

CAVUTO: Do you think Donald Trump is a fascist?

BUTTIGIEG: I don't think General Kelly is wrong. pic.twitter.com/QUlkrPlyju

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CAVUTO: She called him a fascist

BUTTIGIEG: She said that she did not disagree with his chief of staff who said that

CAVUTO: Do you think Donald Trump is a fascist?

BUTTIGIEG: I don't think General Kelly is wrong. pic.twitter.com/QUlkrPlyju
Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) November 3, 2024