Pete Buttigieg Hits Back at Tucker Carlson

Pete Buttigieg is not apologizing. That's the official word from the transportation secretary after Fox News host Tucker Carlson mocked him for taking paternity leave. "As you might imagine, we're bottle-feeding and doing it at all hours of the day and night," Buttigieg said on CNN's State of the Union on Sunday, per the Hill. (Carlson's mockery had included a jab about Buttigieg and his husband, Chasten, trying to breastfeed.) "I'm not going to apologize to Tucker Carlson or anyone else for taking care of my premature newborn infant twins," Buttigieg continued.

He noted that all of this is important work to be done when a new child enters a family, and that he campaigned for president on the idea that all families should have the ability to take paid family leave and do just that. Last week, addressing criticism from Carlson and others on the right, he said, "What is really strange is that, you know, this is from a side of the aisle that used to claim the mantle of being pro-family." He also joked that Carlson must not understand what bottle-feeding is, Politico reports. He told CNN on Sunday that despite being on paid leave, he was still engaged with the Department of Transportation because his job requires him to be available at all times. (More Pete Buttigieg stories.)