Pete Buttigieg, a prominent figure in American Democratic politics and former US Transportation Secretary, has revealed he endured a period of separation from his young children following an anonymous, false police report. The allegations, which Michigan State Police later confirmed to be unsubstantiated, led to forensic interviews for his four-year-old twins and a temporary restriction preventing him from being alone with them.
Buttigieg, who was a contender for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020 and is widely speculated as a potential candidate for 2028, shared details of the incident in a post on Substack. He described the period of separation as "among the darkest hours of my life," expressing profound anger and sadness that his children were targeted. The anonymous caller claimed to have heard from a woman who alleged Buttigieg had confessed to "unspeakable violent crimes" several years prior.
Michigan State Police confirmed to the BBC that the anonymous allegation was indeed false. The officer who responded to Buttigieg's home reportedly indicated that he believed the report was politically motivated and would not be referred to a prosecutor. Buttigieg likened the false allegation to the Child Protective Services (CPS) equivalent of "Swatting," a dangerous prank where hoax callers dispatch armed police to homes.
The incident reportedly took place shortly after Buttigieg posted family photos on social media for Father's Day. He also noted the timing, during Pride Month, given his past experiences with anti-LGBTQ+ attacks. While Buttigieg and his husband, Chasten, are accustomed to hateful rhetoric directed at them, he stated that this was the first time such an attack had directly invaded their family life and involved their children.
Michigan State Police issued a statement emphasising the dangers of such false reports, highlighting that they divert crucial resources from legitimate emergencies and from protecting vulnerable children and families. Buttigieg adopted his fraternal twins, Joseph August and Penelope Rose, with his husband in 2021.