Pete Buttigieg’s boots at East Palestine, Ohio train derailment

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg showed off a pair of shiny brown boots while in East Palestine, Ohio Thursday — earning the derision of Republicans on social media.

The 41-year-old Buttigieg stomped around in form-fitting pants and leather dress boots as he surveyed the damage from the Feb. 3 train derailment and toxic chemical spill that shook the village near the Pennsylvania state line.

“Lol are those dress shoes?” asked Abigail Marone, a spokeswoman for Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.).

“Serious question,” added Marone, posting a picture of the purported footwear, “does @SecretaryPete think these are work boots?”

Townhall senior editor Matt Vespa responded that the cabinet member was wearing “the most durable disaster gear … compliments of Brooks Brothers.”

“Is he wearing… dress shoes?” Jake Schneider, a rapid response director at the Republican National Committee, also asked.

“Not shocked at all by Mayor Pete wearing dress shoes to East Palestine,” said Tom Evans, a deputy press secretary for the Ohio Senate Republican Caucus.

Other social media users speculated Buttigieg had donned a pair of expensive Berluti boots for his trip to the Midwest.

“The secretary was wearing boots,” a Department of Transportation spokesperson told Fox News Digital when asked for comment. “We do not have a record of what brand they are.”

The DOT did not immediately respond when contacted by The Post.

Buttigieg faced backlash for waiting almost three weeks to visit East Palestine following the derailment after saying Tuesday he would only go there “when the time is right.” He also was accused of downplaying the severity of the crash last week when he told an interviewer “there are roughly 1,000 cases a year of a train derailing.”

The secretary and his press team lashed out at reporters this week for repeatedly questioning his decision to avoid the toxic site.

When confronted while on a walk with his husband Tuesday night in Washington, Buttigieg refused to speak with a Daily Caller reporter about the derailment because he was “taking some personal time.” He then inexplicably asked to take a picture of the journalist.

His press secretary similarly snapped at another reporter who accosted her boss in East Palestine Thursday, claiming it was “aggressive” to film her response to questions on camera.