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.”
How about we take this to the next level?
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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.
— Pete Buttigieg (@PeteButtigieg) November 22, 2022
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.
Tucker Carlson rips into Pete Buttigieg, saying he “hid” and “lied” about being gay for unknown reasons. Pete Buttigieg was enrolled in the military during the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy. pic.twitter.com/Zy9yFndDgW
— Mike Sington (@MikeSington) November 24, 2022
Related: Pete Buttigieg destroys Ron DeSantis over Martha’s Vineyard stunt
Many on Twitter blasted Carlson for his comments.
Tucker Carlson says that Pete Buttigieg is lying about being gay, which is really ironic because Tucker Carlson has been lying about being a smart, talented, clever, patriotic American journalist for 20 years.
— The USA Singers (@TheUSASingers) November 24, 2022
Tucker Carlson just attacked Pete Buttigieg, who served in the military during “Don’t ask don’t tell,” for “lying” about being gay.
Tucker Carlson is a piece of shit.
— Republicans against Trumpism (@RpsAgainstTrump) November 24, 2022
Tucker Carlson was rejected by the CIA and was too much of a wimp to join the army so he should STFU about Pete Buttigieg who served honorably.
— 888 Good Troubles (@LebergerDavid) November 24, 2022
While Tucker Carlson serves fox news with his disinformation. Pete Buttigieg served the American people. Fought for their freedom including Tucker Carlson and all Republicans who are against LGBTQI+ folks. #FreshResists
— Ms.Lopez💙 (@LopezResists) November 24, 2022
Tucker Carlson says, “Buttigieg lied about it for reasons he has never been asked to explain.”
I think Tucker Carlson’s homophobic, anti-LGBTQ screeds are a perfect example of why anyone might be hesitant to come out.
What a despicable man.
— Weshet Seme (@YewishetiSimi) November 24, 2022
inbama
The existence of scum like Tucker Carlson can make you wish ANTIFA were as real and dangerous as the right wing pretends it is.
dbmcvey
And yet, you parrot a lot of the same trans hatred he does.
abfab
TuKKKer is a miserable person….and he knows it.
bachy
he’s an unregenerate, soulless sh|tweasel who can’t stoop low enough to destroy the spirit of American democracy.
Brian
A reminder that Tucker Carlson invented names for two fake clubs to put under his yearbook photo. One celebrating the assassination of Harvey Milk. The other one celebrating white supremacy. The school actually printed it, too.
Chrisk
Damn. I looked and your right. He was a member of the Dan White club. This guys douchebaggary goes way back apparently.
Jon in Canada
Tucker Carlson must have an “accident”
Make it happen America.
kevin57
Reading comments on sites like Huffpost is aggravating. So many still so unaccepting and infantile in their insults. I think they let all the incels out of their mothers’ basements to troll for a while.
dbmcvey
Tuckems is obsessed with Pete’s sex life.