Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg says his family was the target of a false Child Protective Services report that prompted an investigation by Michigan authorities and temporarily separated him and his husband from their four-year-old twins.
In a personal essay published Friday, Buttigieg described the incident as “among the darkest hours of my life” and likened it to “swatting” — but instead of dispatching armed police, the false report triggered a child welfare investigation.
Michigan State Police confirmed they received an anonymous report earlier this week and, along with Child Protective Services, investigated the allegations before determining they were false.
Anonymous allegation prompts investigation
According to Buttigieg, an anonymous caller claimed he had confessed years earlier to committing violent crimes during a meeting with a woman at a conference in Alabama.
As CBS News reports:
“An anonymous caller had contacted CPS,” Buttigieg said. “The caller said that he had spoken to a woman who claimed to have met me at a conference several years ago in Alabama, where she said I told her that I had committed unspeakable violent crimes, and the caller believed my children were still at risk. That was all.”
Buttigieg — who called the authorities who visited his home “courteous and professional” — said he told the police officer he had never been to the town where the accuser claimed to have met him.
“Then the officer made clear that he believed this was politically motivated, and said it would not be referred to a prosecutor. Nothing in the forensic interview with the children, which was conducted by trained personnel, had led to concerns,” the former presidential candidate continued. “After the officer spoke, the CPS worker likewise indicated she had not found anything to substantiate the allegation, though her process would take a bit longer to be formally completed.”
Buttigieg explained the allegation was entirely fabricated, noting he had never attended the conference described by the caller. He characterized the accusation as a “cruel, politically motivated hoax.”
The former Cabinet secretary wrote that investigators informed him they were required to examine the report despite its erroneous claims.
Family separated for 24 hours
As part of the investigation, Buttigieg said he and his husband, Chasten Buttigieg, were instructed to remain separated from their children for approximately 24 hours while authorities completed their work.
The couple’s twins stayed with their grandparents during that period, he said. The children also underwent forensic interviews as investigators worked to determine whether any abuse had occurred.
Authorities ultimately concluded the allegations were unfounded.
Michigan State Police said false reports divert law enforcement officers and child welfare personnel from legitimate emergencies and investigations involving children who may actually be at risk.
Buttigieg calls report politically motivated
Buttigieg said he believes the false report was politically motivated, though he acknowledged he does not know who made it.
He noted the incident occurred shortly after he and his husband shared Father’s Day photographs of their family on social media and during Pride Month.
“I don’t know who did this, or exactly what prompted them to try,” Buttigieg wrote, adding that the experience left him angry but also appreciative of the professionalism shown by the investigators handling the case.
Growing concerns over false emergency reports
The episode comes amid broader concerns about the use of false reports to target public officials and other high-profile individuals.
Traditionally, “swatting” refers to making fraudulent emergency calls designed to provoke an armed police response. Buttigieg argued that weaponizing Child Protective Services can inflict similar trauma on families while consuming public resources intended to protect vulnerable children.
Michigan authorities have not announced any arrests or identified a suspect in connection with the false report. The investigation into who made the allegation remains ongoing.
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