despicable

Tucker Carlson attacks Pete Buttigieg for previously “lying” about his sexuality

Tucker Carlson and (inset) Pete Buttigieg
Tucker Carlson and (inset) Pete Buttigieg

Tucker Carlson has attempted to shade Pete Buttigieg for spending time in the closet before coming out as gay.

Earlier this week, Transportation Secretary Buttigieg took aim at right-ring figures who speak out against LGBTQ people, and who then act surprised about hate crimes against the queer community. His comments came after the mass shooting at Club Q in Colorado Springs. The tragedy resulted in the death of five patrons.

Related: Tucker Carlson’s childish bullying backfires spectacularly and it’s music to our ears

Buttigieg tweeted, “If you’re a politician or media figure who sets up the LGBTQ community to be hated and feared – not because any of us ever harmed you but because you find it useful – then don’t you dare act surprised when this kind of violence follows. Don’t you dare act surprised.”

Tucker Carlson’s deranged rant

Carlson appears to take umbrage at this. On his Fox show on Wednesday, he criticized Buttigieg for not being publicly open about his sexuality sooner.

“Pete Buttigieg, of course, couldn’t pass up a moment like this,” said Carlson. “It’s not like Pete Buttigieg wants to talk about how things are going over at the Transportation Department, which he supposedly runs. Short answer: not well.

“No, Pete Buttigieg wants to talk about identity. He always wants to talk about identity. And the funny, ironic thing is and that until just a few years ago, Buttigieg wouldn’t even admit that he was gay. He hid that and then lied about it for reasons he has never been asked to explain. Why not?”

Buttigieg came out in 2015 while serving as mayor of South Bend, Indiana.

Before entering politics, Buttigieg served in the military at a time when the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” rule was still in place.

Carlson continued, “But whatever. Now he is happy to use his sexual orientation as a cudgel to bash you repeatedly in the face into submission.

“Quote, here’s his latest, ‘If you’re a politician or media figure who sets up the LGBTQ community to be hated and feared, not because any of us who ever harmed you, but because you find it useful that don’t you dare act surprised when this kind of violence follows.’

“Don’t you dare act surprised. Don’t you dare. All right, fair enough. We won’t dare. But honestly, we’re a little surprised to learn that the anti-trans shooter is himself trans. Were you surprised by that?

“Buttigieg, now that you’re admitting you’re gay after lying about it, since we’re talking about identity. What do you have to say about that? Well, nothing. Weirdly, Pete Buttigieg hasn’t said anything, nor has he apologized for attacking other people on false pretenses.”

Pete Buttigieg’s coming out

Buttigieg came out via an article he wrote for a local newspaper in South Bend. He did address the timing of his coming out, saying, “I was well into adulthood before I was prepared to acknowledge the simple fact that I am gay. It took years of struggle and growth for me to recognize that it’s just a fact of life, like having brown hair, and part of who I am.”

One imagines that ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ undoubtedly also impacted his thinking while in the military.

Watch part of Carlson’s monologue below.

Related: Pete Buttigieg destroys Ron DeSantis over Martha’s Vineyard stunt

Many on Twitter blasted Carlson for his comments.

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