Politics
Buttigieg Was Separated From His 4-Year-Olds for 24 Hours Over a False CPS Report
By Mike Harper · July 2, 2026
His children are four years old. They were taken from him for 24 hours because someone made a phone call.
“I don’t know how much of this they’re going to remember. I know I will.”
An anonymous caller contacted Michigan Child Protective Services on June 26 claiming Buttigieg had confessed to committing violent crimes against children during a conference in Alabama. CPS and Michigan State Police arrived at his Traverse City home. His twins were interviewed without him present. He was told he could not be alone with his own children until the investigation was complete.
For 24 hours, Buttigieg and his husband Chasten arranged for the children to stay with grandparents while authorities investigated. Buttigieg did not know what he was accused of until police interviewed him the following day and told him the allegation came from someone who claimed to have met him at a conference in a town he has never visited.
“The twenty-four hours until they returned are among the darkest hours of my life.”
Michigan State Police confirmed the report was false. The officer told Buttigieg he believed the complaint was politically motivated. No charges were referred to prosecutors.
Buttigieg, a potential 2028 presidential candidate and the first openly gay Cabinet member confirmed by the Senate, noted the timing.
“It’s not lost on me that this happened soon after we shared photos of our family on social media for Father’s Day. Or that this occurred during a month meant to make families like ours feel welcome and safe.”
Buttigieg said he is exploring pressing civil or criminal charges against whoever made the report. Under Michigan law, filing a false report of felony child abuse is punishable by up to four years in prison.
He ended with a line aimed at anyone in public service.
“We just can’t go on like this.”