Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has detailed a distressing incident in which Michigan State Police and Child Protective Services visited his home in Traverse City following an anonymous report alleging he posed a danger to his four-year-old twin children. The report, which Buttigieg described as a "terrible thing" and "among the darkest hours of my life," led to forensic interviews of the twins and instructions for Buttigieg not to be alone with them until the process was complete.
According to a statement from the Michigan State Police, authorities received an anonymous report and, in conjunction with child protective services, "responded and determined the report was false." Buttigieg stated that investigators informed him the anonymous caller falsely claimed he had confessed to violent crimes years earlier in Alabama, a town he asserted he had never visited. Police indicated the allegation would not be referred to prosecutors, believing it to be politically motivated, and Child Protective Services found no evidence to substantiate the claims.
"I cannot describe the mix of rage and sadness that I feel at the idea that someone brought our children into this," Buttigieg wrote on his Substack. He noted the children's young age and their lack of understanding of political divisions. The incident occurred shortly after he shared family photos online for Father's Day, a time when he and his husband, Chasten, had previously faced criticism from some Republicans for taking paternity leave after adopting their twins.
Buttigieg, who has been open about facing death threats throughout his career, characterized this event as the "ugliest thing" to happen since his public service began. He suggested the incident reflects a broader escalation of political attacks, stating, "Everyone knows politics is ugly these days... it feels more and more like bloodsport."
This incident occurs amid a backdrop of increased targeting of public officials through "swatting," a tactic involving false emergency calls to elicit a heavy law enforcement response. Law enforcement agencies have cautioned that such actions divert critical resources and endanger both responders and residents. Buttigieg's experience highlights the personal toll and potential dangers of such fabricated allegations, particularly when they involve the welfare of children.