House Republicans asked US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg to resign from his position for "neglecting" his duties following the train derailment incident. They believed that Buttigieg "failed to mitigate or effectively respond to multiple national crises," and jeopardized the safety of the Americans.

Residents criticized Buttigieg's visit to the scene saying it was "too little too late", as his visit came 20 days after the derailment happened. 

Congressman Mike Waltz tweeted that the US Secretary of Transportation is putting the country in danger, urging him to resign.

Over the last two years, Secretary Buttigieg failed the American people time and time again, putting our country in danger. That’s why I am calling for his resignation. https://t.co/6xR4UajW3F

— Rep. Mike Waltz (@michaelgwaltz) March 1, 2023

Pete Buttigieg "has been  AWOL during multiple national crises", Florida Republican Michael Waltz added, highlighting Buttigieg's track record of failing to take on his role in several situations up until the railroad labor strike.

In addition, the House GOP emphasized that the Transport Secretary was "absent during a historical supply chain crisis when United States ports faced a record backlog of ships stranded off of United States coasts.", reminding people that more than 15,000 flights were canceled under the watch of "the worst and most costly single airline operational disruption in the history of United States aviation."

The Republicans said that Buttigieg neglected his duties to go on vacation to Portugal amidst a railroad labor strike, leaving Congress to deal with the situation.

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"Whether it’s waiting weeks to visit East Palestine, vacationing in Portuguese wine country during vital union negotiations, his extended absence during one of the largest shipping crises we’ve faced, or his failure to prevent massive aviation groundings, Secretary Buttigieg has shown an inability to carry out the duties of his office," Michael Waltz also told media.

On February 3, a train hauling 20 cars with hazardous materials derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, resulting in a big fire and leading to officials burning vinyl chloride inside five of the tanker cars to avoid a catastrophic explosion. The chemicals inside the cars were diverted and burned, releasing toxic chemicals into the air.

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