‘Darkest Times of My Life’: Pete Buttigieg Speaks Out for First Time on False Report That Sparked Child Services Probe

Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg opened up for the first time on Wednesday about his heartbreak after he was separated from his twins by Child Protective Services after the agency received a false report that the kids were at risk.

Appearing on Good Morning America, Buttigieg was asked by George Stephanopoulos to recount the situation, during which the former South Bend, Indiana, mayor was separated from his 4-year-old twins, Penelope and Gus, for 24 hours.

Buttigieg, who first revealed the startling situation in a Substack post on Friday, said he was in his study inside his South Bend home when he saw a police officer and a CPS worker at his door.

The pair informed Buttigieg that there was an allegation against him that they couldn’t discuss.

“They told me that I couldn’t be around my children unsupervised until my children were interviewed,” He said. “During that questioning, no one in the family could be present. And the next 24 hours are some of the darkest times of my life. I don’t know how to describe it.”

When Stephanopoulos asked how his kids were doing, Buttigieg replied: “They’re 4 years old. As a family, we’re just trying to put this behind us. I don’t know how much of this they’re going to remember. I know I will. It’s one of the most awful moments of my life and something I wouldn’t wish on anybody.”

He said that the response since he came forward, including from some former political foes he’s previously campaigned against, has been “really extraordinary.”

“We have got to be able to agree as a country on at least this fundamental principle: that you do not go after peoples’ families,” Buttigieg said. “That whatever you think of somebody’s politics, however you wanna argue or fight about political issues, you leave somebody’s children alone.”

When asked if Buttigieg had any information about where the hoax call came from or who would commit such a crime, he said: “We’re looking into whether it’s possible to find and prosecute the person who did this.”

One thing is for certain, according to Buttiegieg: “We just cannot allow our politics to keep moving in this direction.”

He added: “This can’t be treated as something that is just something you accept, or something you take on when you get int0 pubic service — who would go into public service if things keep going the way they are?”

Watch above via ABC.

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