Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg (D-MI) said a politically motivated hoax targeted his children through a false report to Child Protective Services [1, 2].
The incident highlights the growing trend of "swatting" and weaponized social services used to harass public figures and their families [2, 3].
Buttigieg said the event occurred in June 2024, coinciding with Pride month [1, 3]. The former secretary said the call to child services was a cruel attempt to intimidate his family [4]. He said the hoax was driven by political motivations and potentially fueled by homophobia [1, 4].
According to Buttigieg, the false report led to an investigation into his home [3]. He expressed distress over the targeting of his children during the ordeal. "For God’s sake, they are just kids," Buttigieg said [2].
The former secretary has spoken about the emotional toll the event took on his family. He said the period following the incident was some of his darkest hours [4].
While the specific identity of the caller was not provided in the reports, Buttigieg said the timing of the hoax was not accidental [1, 3]. He said the targeting of children represents a new and dangerous escalation in political harassment [1].
This event follows a pattern of high-profile figures facing similar targeted harassment campaigns designed to cause maximum psychological distress. By involving child services, the perpetrator attempted to use state authority to create a crisis within a private residence [2, 3].
“"For God’s sake, they are just kids."”
This incident reflects a shift in political harassment where perpetrators move beyond digital threats to weaponizing government agencies. By triggering a Child Protective Services response, the attacker leveraged the state's power to penetrate the private sanctuary of the home, signaling an escalation in the tactics used to target LGBTQ+ public officials.
