'Among the darkest hours of my life': Pete Buttigieg victim of false report

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg recently became the target of a malicious and false anonymous report alleging he posed a danger to his four-year-old twins. The incident forced Buttigieg and his husband, Chasten, to spend a night apart from their children, causing significant emotional distress.

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We're physically OK, but that doesn't mean we weren't harmed. Whatever your politics, this is awful, wrong, and can never become normal.

Buttigieg shared his experience on Substack, detailing how a Michigan State Police officer and a child protective services worker arrived at his home following the anonymous tip. Authorities mandated forensic interviews for his twins and prohibited him from being alone with them until the interviews concluded. Consequently, the children were sent to stay with their grandparents.

Investigators informed Buttigieg that the anonymous caller claimed he had confessed to violent crimes years earlier during a supposed chance meeting in Alabama. However, Buttigieg stated he had never visited the town where this alleged meeting took place. Police determined the allegation was politically motivated and found no basis for referral to prosecutors. Child Protective Services also found no evidence to support the report.

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A terrible thing happened to my family.

Buttigieg expressed profound anger and sadness that his children were involved in such a fabrication. He noted that his four-year-old twins are too young to understand or care about political affiliations. The incident occurred shortly after he had shared family photos for Father's Day. Despite the prompt dismissal of the accusation by law enforcement, Buttigieg voiced concerns about the harm caused and the failure to respect the principle of keeping children out of political disputes.

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I cannot describe the mix of rage and sadness that I feel at the idea that someone brought our children into this. They are four years old. Four. They do not know or care what a Democrat or a Republican is.

Buttigieg, often viewed as a potential Democratic presidential candidate for 2028, has faced anti-LGBTQIA+ attacks. The report against him comes amid ongoing opposition from some conservative activists and Republican officials regarding the portrayal of same-sex parents. The article also notes that some Republicans have previously targeted Buttigieg for taking paternity leave.

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Even though the accusation was absurdly and obviously false, and was promptly rejected by law enforcement, I still worry about the harm it has done. I worry about how anyone, even in today's world, could fail to respect the absolutely fundamental principle that whatever you think about someone in politics, you leave people's kids out of it.