Pete Buttigieg caught unloading bike from SUV before riding to Cabinet meeting in apparent botched environmentalist photo-op

Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg was seen riding a bike with multiple SUVs in tow on his way to a Cabinet meeting on Thursday in what appears to have been an attempt at an environmentalist photo-op.

The secretary — who has been leading the charge on the Biden administration's efforts to battle climate change — likely wanted to showcase his efforts to arrive at the White House meeting in a climate-friendly way. Only he was caught by CNN reporter DJ Judd unloading the bike from a gas-guzzling SUV just moments before.

"Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg biked to the White House for today's Cabinet Meeting, it would appear," wrote Judd, who covered Buttigieg in Iowa and Georgia during the 2020 Democratic primary, in a caption for the video.

A longer version of the video posted by WFMZ-TV clearly shows security personnel unloading the bike off a bike rack situated on the back of the SUV. After that, the former Democratic presidential candidate mounts the bike and appears to wait until several security agents' SUVs are ready to escort him. Then he takes off with the vehicles following closely behind.

Buttigieg's clothing appeared to match what he was seen wearing at the White House meeting, according to a photo posted on President Joe Biden's Twitter account on Thursday.

The clothing also matched another video claiming to capture the Transportation Secretary leaving the White House after the meeting, once again, on bike. That video was posted by SCOTUS Blog staffer Katie Barlow.

One commenter on Twitter, whose posting of the video has attracted more than 1 million views, characterized the scene as "Pete Buttigieg's dog and pony show."

"Use an armored Suburban to bring a bike within a short distance of the destination. Unload it and ride in with a security detail in tow, pretending to save energy," the commenter added.

TheBlaze has reached out to Buttigieg's office for comment but has not yet received a reply.

It's not the first time that Buttigieg has chosen to ride a bike through the District. In February, he and other Cabinet members were reportedly filmed cycling through the Navy Yard.

The secretary raised eyebrows this week after suggesting that Americans ought to be taxed for every mile they drive as a possible way to fund the administration's multitrillion dollar infrastructure plan.

The plan, unveiled this week, reserves the bulk of its supposed "infrastructure" spending for progressive initiatives such as combatting climate change and providing free community college.