Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg says he and his children were subject to an investigation by Child Protective Services after an anonymous report that was later determined to be false. Michigan State Police confirmed they received the anonymous report this week, responded along with CPS workers, and determined it was false.
Buttigieg detailed the experience in a Substack post on Friday. He lives with his husband Chasten Buttigieg and their twin four-year-old children, Penelope and Gus, in Traverse City, Michigan. According to Buttigieg, a police officer and CPS worker came to his home and notified him of an anonymous report alleging his children were at risk. Both children had to participate in forensic interviews where no family members could be present, and he was not permitted to be alone with them until after the interviews concluded.
What the Left Is Saying
LGBTQ+ advocacy groups and Democratic allies framed the incident as a targeted attack on Buttigieg's family specifically because they are an openly gay couple with children. In his statement, Buttigieg noted the timing of the false report during Pride Month. "It's not lost on me that this happened soon after we shared photos of our family on social media for Father's Day," he wrote. "Or that this occurred during a month meant to make families like ours feel welcome and safe." Buttigieg, who served as Transportation Secretary under President Biden, is considered a rising star within the Democratic Party and a potential 2028 presidential contender.
What the Right Is Saying
Republican lawmakers joined Democrats in condemning the false report, framing it as an attack on any family rather than specifically targeting LGBTQ+ households. Rep. Derrick Van Orden, R-Wisc., replied to Buttigieg's post on X saying, "this has happened to our family and I agree, this is horrible." He added, "I hope they find the folks that did this and send them to prison." NPR has not independently confirmed Van Orden's claims about his own family. Conservative commentators have largely characterized the incident as an example of "swatting"—the practice of making false emergency reports to trigger police response—condemning it regardless of the target's political affiliation or identity.
What the Numbers Show
Michigan State Police confirmed only that they received and investigated the anonymous report, determining it was false. No additional information on a potential motive has been released. Swatting incidents have increased nationally in recent years, though specific statistics for Michigan were not available. Buttigieg did not specify whether authorities identified any suspects or leads in the investigation.
The Bottom Line
The incident highlights the vulnerability of public figures' families to harassment through false emergency reports. Buttigieg described the 24 hours his children spent away from their parents as "among the darkest hours of my life." He emphasized that his four-year-old twins "do not know or care what a Democrat or a Republican is" and are unaware of political divisions or hatred. Michigan State Police have not announced any arrests or suspects in the case, and an investigation into who filed the false report remains ongoing.