Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg revealed Friday that he and his family were the subject of a Child Protective Services and police investigation after someone made a false report alleging he posed a danger to his own children. The potential 2028 Democratic presidential contender described the experience as one of the darkest moments of his life.

What Happened

Buttigieg said Friday in a post on Substack that a team from Child Protective Services showed up to his house and said an allegation had been leveled against him concerning his twins, whom he and his husband Chasten adopted in 2021. As a result of the allegation, Buttigieg said a CPS worker told him he could not be around his children unsupervised for 24 hours while the allegation was investigated. He and his husband dropped the children off with their grandparents for the night, beginning what Buttigieg described as "among the darkest hours of my life."

The substance of the anonymous report itself was both vague and easily disprovable. "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.

How the Investigation Was Resolved

Authorities moved relatively quickly to determine the report had no basis. "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." When asked for comment, the Michigan State Police told NPR they had received an anonymous report this week that state police and CPS responded to and "determined the report was false."

State police were unequivocal in condemning the underlying behavior. "False reports are dangerous and divert law enforcement officers and Child Protective Services workers from responding to legitimate emergencies and protecting vulnerable children and families," Michigan State Police said in a statement.

Buttigieg's Reaction

The former Cabinet official described the incident as the most painful experience of his political career, while drawing a comparison to a familiar form of targeted harassment. "Many times over the years, I have been denounced, yelled at, protested, threatened, and heckled," Buttigieg wrote. "I've been through political attacks in office, death threats in public life, and rocket attacks in war. But this is the ugliest thing that has happened to me since my career in service began." Buttigieg likened the incident to "swatting" — when someone calls 911 to falsely report an immediate threat, often at a public figure's home — "but with Child Protective Services instead of a SWAT team."

He was especially pointed about the toll on his young children. "They are four years old. Four. They do not know or care what a Democrat or a Republican is. They don't know how politics works. They don't know about hate. They should be worrying about what kind of ice cream they're getting this afternoon... For God's sake, they are just kids," Buttigieg wrote.

A Possible Motive Tied to Pride Month

Buttigieg suggested the timing of the incident wasn't coincidental, raising the possibility that homophobia played a role. In his statement Friday, Buttigieg noted the incident had taken place during Pride Month, meant to celebrate LGBTQ+ people. "It's not lost on me that this happened soon after we shared photos of our family on social media for Father's Day," Buttigieg said in his statement. He has been subject to homophobic remarks from high-profile officials during his time in the public eye, including from former Vice President Mike Pence, who mocked his decision to take parental leave while serving as transportation secretary.

Bipartisan Reaction and Possible Legal Action

The incident drew sympathy from across the political spectrum. News of the incident prompted bipartisan support for Buttigieg, including from Rep. Derrick Van Orden, R-Wisc., who replied to the Michigan Democrat's post on X saying, "this has happened to our family and I agree, this is horrible." Buttigieg said he is exploring pressing civil or criminal charges over the incident. As Buttigieg noted on Substack, making a false report of felony child abuse is a crime under Michigan state law, punishable by up to four years in prison or a fine of up to $2,000, or both.

Part of a Broader Pattern of Political Harassment

Buttigieg's case reflects a wider trend of escalating threats and harassment directed at public officials. An April report from the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs found a "serious escalation" in the risk environment for political violence in 2025. Additionally, U.S. Capitol Police said earlier this year that the number of threats the agency investigated jumped by nearly 60 percent in 2025.

For ongoing, authoritative information on swatting and how to recognize or report it, the FBI's Violent Crime resources offer guidance on this increasingly common form of harassment targeting public figures and private citizens alike.

What Comes Next

With Michigan State Police having already concluded the report was false and declined to refer the matter to a prosecutor on criminal grounds, the central remaining question is whether Buttigieg will pursue civil or criminal action against whoever made the anonymous call. Given the broader rise in swatting-style harassment against political figures, this incident is likely to fuel renewed calls for stronger penalties and protections against false emergency reports targeting officials and their families.