Pete and Chasten Buttigieg are going to be parents.
The Secretary of Transportation, who made history when he became the first openly gay Cabinet member confirmed by the Senate, and only the second openly gay Cabinet member in US history, took to Twitter to share the joyous news.
For some time, Chasten and I have wanted to grow our family. We’re overjoyed to share that we’ve become parents! Th… https://t.co/059kq25vGQ— Pete Buttigieg (@Pete Buttigieg) 1629220527.0
"For some time, Chasten and I have wanted to grow our family. We're overjoyed to share that we've become parents!"
"The process isn't done yet, and we're thankful for the love, support and respect for our privacy that has been offered to us."
"We can't wait to share more soon."
Chasten previously told USA Today last year he and the former Mayor of South Bend, Indiana were in the process of adopting a child, and acknowledged all the frustrations and anxiety the process brings.
"We have quite a few friends in our circle who've navigated that, so we've just been having a lot of conversations with friends and started trying to figure out what will work for us."
Chasten also disclosed to The Washington Postback in July, he and the Secretary of Transportation had come close to becoming parents on multiple occasions prior to this.
"It's a really weird cycle of anger and frustration and hope."
"You think it's finally happening and you get so excited, and then it's gone."
Among those coming out to Twitter to send their love to the new parents was First Lady Jill Biden.
Congratulations to you and @Chasten! Welcome to parenthood!💕 https://t.co/PeikDATTF4— Jill Biden (@Jill Biden) 1629224898.0
Several other notable members of the Democratic Party offered their congratulations, including Jamie Harrison, Chair of the Democratic National Convention, US Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, White House domestic policy advisor Susan Rice and former advisor to President Barack Obama Valerie Jarrett.
.@PeteButtigieg & @Chasten Congratulations! Your lives will be forever changed! Enjoy every single moment. https://t.co/GYcz3vz38k— Jaime Harrison, DNC Chair (@Jaime Harrison, DNC Chair) 1629221582.0
Being a parent has been one of the great joys of my life. Congrats to you and Chasten on this terrific news! https://t.co/WBkSYwqdk6— Secretary Deb Haaland (@Secretary Deb Haaland) 1629223174.0
Awesome news! Warmest congrats, @PeteButtigieg and @Chasten. Kids are the greatest blessing. https://t.co/86fFNz9mCe— Susan Rice (@Susan Rice) 1629229958.0
In the midst of so much pain and anguish, here is some genuinely wonderful news. Congratulations to @PeteButtigieg… https://t.co/LxRQDEnAjU— Valerie Jarrett (@Valerie Jarrett) 1629226328.0
The Human Rights Campaign also congratulated DC's ground breaking LGBTQ power couple on their exciting new chapter.
Congratulations @PeteButtigieg and @Chasten! We are excited to watch your family grow and we wish you the very best… https://t.co/YRzRX0zV1I— Human Rights Campaign (@Human Rights Campaign) 1629226083.0
MSNBCs Joy-Ann Reid and CNN's Kasie Hunt, no doubt eager to share some good news in the current climate, also shared their joy on Twitter.
@PeteButtigieg Congratulations, gents!! Blessings to your growing family ❤️🎉— Joy-Ann (Pro-Democracy) Reid 😷 (@Joy-Ann (Pro-Democracy) Reid 😷) 1629222066.0
@PeteButtigieg !!!!! Congratulations to you & @Chasten!— Kasie Hunt (@Kasie Hunt) 1629221207.0
In a surprising moment of bi-partisanship, even the recently departed conservative voice of The View, Meghan McCain, chimed in with well wishes.
Omg! Congratulations to you and Chasten!!! What spectacular news! ♥️♥️♥️ https://t.co/LnlOb44YWl— Meghan McCain (@Meghan McCain) 1629221381.0
McCain, who memorably clashed with Buttigieg on The View on a number of occasions, particularly over disagreements regarding abortion, declared the announcement was "spectacular news!"
However McCain's former friend and fellow Republican Denise McAllister couldn't let the announcement go without exhibiting the homophobia that got her fired from conservative publication The Federalist by McCain's husband, Ben Domenech.
@PeteButtigieg To intentionally rob a child of a mother is evil. Love is to want the best for the most vulnerable,… https://t.co/NVnf143sMZ— Denise McAllister (@Denise McAllister) 1629226736.0
@PeteButtigieg And I fully expect to be severely ratioed because we live in evil times when what is bitter is calle… https://t.co/OE4NJtlYUG— Denise McAllister (@Denise McAllister) 1629227302.0
@McAllisterDen To intentionally rob child of a loving, financially secure home based on your own homophobia is so e… https://t.co/4k0PrdCTxZ— Get all the sighs & the moans just right (@Get all the sighs & the moans just right) 1629227640.0
@McAllisterDen @PeteButtigieg You must have a miserable soul to say something like that to Pete and Chasten. Love… https://t.co/ijCoysaeUJ— Wanda McDonald, Realtor (@Wanda McDonald, Realtor) 1629228631.0
McAllister continued spouting her bigotry on her own Twitter page.
Two million couples are waiting to adopt a child in the US. Numerically, there is no reason to put a child in a hom… https://t.co/3hlyHdGZTm— Denise McAllister (@Denise McAllister) 1629236067.0
@McAllisterDen As soon as all the kids in US foster care are adopted, we can start bleeding for the "2 million coup… https://t.co/yAstc8xwR0— Texit.2023 (@Texit.2023) 1629238989.0
But homophobic bigots like McAllister were few and far between in the responses to the Buttigieg's good news.
Many more people were excited by the happy news and couldn't wait to share their excitement at their big announcement.
@PeteButtigieg Mazel Tov!!!!!! What a lucky child to have you both as it’s parents! 🌈💖— Meredith Salenger (@Meredith Salenger) 1629234399.0
@PeteButtigieg As gay dads of FIVE adopted kids, my husband @RobertCooper58 and I want to offer you and Chasten our… https://t.co/iVAkxyaeOE— Jon Cooper 🇺🇸 (@Jon Cooper 🇺🇸) 1629221848.0
@BettyBowers @PeteButtigieg https://t.co/59NJbJHZpk— Ric (@Ric) 1629225890.0
@PeteButtigieg Congratulations, y'all! What wonderful news! ❤️— Charlotte Clymer 🏳️🌈 (@Charlotte Clymer 🏳️🌈) 1629226798.0
@PeteButtigieg Mazal tov!— Jewish Dems (@Jewish Dems) 1629221423.0
@PeteButtigieg A child raised on Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood is nice. 🤗— Jane Lynch (@Jane Lynch) 1629229647.0
@PeteButtigieg How wonderful 👏👏👏a blessed baby— ✌🏼rosanna arquette (@✌🏼rosanna arquette) 1629251942.0
@PeteButtigieg My husband and I adopted our baby girl 18 years ago! Now she’s headed off to college at Michigan Sta… https://t.co/Ihp2GwzbbD— Clark Williams (@Clark Williams) 1629232911.0
@PeteButtigieg Very happy for both of you and sending you much love.— Fred Guttenberg (@Fred Guttenberg) 1629221985.0
@PeteButtigieg Congrats boss! This Air Traffic controller is so proud of you and so happy for you and your husband!— Dr. Richard Love (@Dr. Richard Love) 1629220609.0
@PeteButtigieg Congratulations @PeteButtigieg @SecretaryPete, @Chasten and @firstdogsSB too. I wish you and your gr… https://t.co/Cw6MR9rKey— Andy Heppelle He/Him #BlackLivesMatter (@Andy Heppelle He/Him #BlackLivesMatter) 1629241364.0
@PeteButtigieg Congrats!!! So thrilled for you! ❤️🌈✨ Here’s our family. Thrilled to welcome you to fatherhood! https://t.co/S8VYm40F9p— Scott Hadland, MD (@Scott Hadland, MD) 1629229918.0
@PeteButtigieg Congratulations!!— Patricia Arquette (@Patricia Arquette) 1629227347.0
@PeteButtigieg Congratulations to the new dads. Welcome to the growing community of gay parents! https://t.co/dnCi9icmm0— Aaron Fernandez-Wische (@Aaron Fernandez-Wische) 1629221467.0
Pete and Chasten Buttigieg are going to be parents, and I couldn’t be happier for them.— George Takei (@George Takei) 1629222495.0
Reacting to the Baby Buttigieg news like…. https://t.co/6I839h9oDl— Jonathan Capehart (@Jonathan Capehart) 1629220919.0
Our family sends our best wishes to Pete and Chasten as they become fathers. Being a parent is a true joy. The newe… https://t.co/YKyS27VlIB— Governor Jared Polis (@Governor Jared Polis) 1629238000.0
As hinted by the Secretary stating "the process isn't done yet," further details have not yet been revealed.
But if the love and admiration Pete and Chasten Buttigieg have shown each other is any indication, there is no doubt this child will have unconditional love in abundance.