LGBTQ activists call out Tucker Carlson’s 'ridiculous' claim Buttigieg isn't really gay

During his years on Fox News, Tucker Carlson was so prominent a figure in right-wing media that many Republican politicians were afraid to offend him. But Carlson's influence has decreased since Fox News fired him in 2023, although he still has his share of hardcore followers online.

Carlson set off one controversy after another when he was hosting "Tucker Carlson Tonight" for Fox News. Now, he is drawing criticism from LGBTQ activists for claiming, without evidence, that Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg isn't really gay.

During a recent conversation on Carlson's online show "Tucker Carlson Today," he told comedian Ari Shaffir, "Do you remember Pete Buttigieg ran for president? He's supposedly gay, and now, he's transportation secretary. And I had one of my producers who's gay, and he goes, 'He's not gay'…. I was like, are you serious? He goes, 'No, that's complete bullshit. All gays keep very close track of that stuff.'"

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The former Fox News host went on to say, "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.'"

GLAAD called Carlson out, telling The Advocate, "Right-wing extremists will stop at nothing to try to gain relevancy, including spreading disinformation about LGBTQ people. Carlsons long history of baselessly attacking Transportation Secretary Buttigieg and his family is ridiculous, dangerous, and only serves to fan the flames of anti-LGBTQ rhetoric and violence."

GLAAD added, "No matter their network affiliations, media commentators must be held to a higher standard."

The Advocate's Christopher Wiggins notes, "Since leaving Fox, Carlson has attempted to rebrand his media presence on platforms like X, formerly Twitter. But his influence has waned. According to Politico, a major publishing house recently canceled a big-budget book on Carlson, citing a diminished cultural footprint as a reason for the decision."

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