WATCH: Pete Buttigieg upstages his own historic nomination with airport proposal story Biden's transportation secretary nominee referenced proposing to husband Chasten at O'Hare Airport 61SHARES Pete Buttigieg — Photo: Screenshot / YouTube Pete Buttigieg may be poised to make history as the first openly LGBTQ person confirmed by the Senate to a cabinet position, but he successfully upstaged his own formal introduction by revisiting the story of his proposal to husband Chasten. The former mayor of South Bend, Ind., was tapped by President-elect Joe Biden to lead the Department of Transportation this week, and last night both Biden and Buttigieg spoke about his historic nomination.