Tucker Carlson makes bizarre claim that Pete Buttigieg ‘isn’t actually gay’

Former Fox News host Tucker Carlson has made the bizarre claim that Pete Buttigieg “isn’t actually gay”, despite the politician having been out publicly for almost 10 years and having a husband. 

Speaking on his online show Tucker Carlson Today, the right-wing personality told comedian Ari Shaffir that he believes the transportation secretary is using his identity to gain political popularity.

Carlson, who launched his show after abruptly leaving Fox News last year, said he had spoken to one of his producers who called Buttigieg’s sexuality “bulls**t”.

“Do you remember Pete Buttigieg ran for president? He’s supposedly gay. I had one of my producers who’s gay, and he goes, ‘He’s not gay’,” Carlson, who has previously been criticised for spouting anti-trans rhetoric, claimed.

“I was like: ‘Are you serious? He goes, ‘No, that’s complete bulls**t’. My producer’s like, ’No, it’s totally a pose. He was dating women just a few years ago. That’s totally fake’. He’s not gay at all”.

Carlson has since insisted that his comments were not an attack on the LGBTQ+ community, saying: “It’s not about being against gays… I’m saying he’s not one.”

LGBTQ+ campaigners, however, have mocked his remarks, noting that he has targeted Buttigieg with the same odd claims before.

“[The] right wing will stop at nothing to try to gain relevancy, including spreading disinformation about LGBTQ+ people,” a GLAAD spokesperson told The Advocate.

“Carlson’s long history of baselessly attacking Buttigieg and his family is ridiculous, dangerous, and only serves to fan the flames of anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric and violence. No matter their network affiliations, media commentators must be held to a higher standard.”

Who is Pete Buttigieg?

Pete Buttigieg is the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana. The 42-year-old politician made history in 2020 as the first out gay Democrat to run for the presidency before dropping out of the race. President Joe Biden nominated him as secretary of transportation in December 2020 and he was confirmed by congress the following February.

A former lieutenant in the naval reserve who was deployed to Afghanistan, he publicly came out as gay in June 2015. He married teacher and author Chasten Glezman three years later, and the couple welcomed their two children, Penelope Rose and Joseph August, in August 2021.

We’re not sure we need to point out that he is in fact gay! 

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