A post shared on Facebook alleges that Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced that he is HIV-positive.
Verdict: False
This claim originates from a parody account that Check Your Fact has debunked previously.
Fact Check:
Buttigieg spoke to X owner Elon Musk in a phone call on Friday to address Musk’s claims that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) was blocking flights into parts of North Carolina that were badly affected by Hurricane Helene, according to New York Post. Buttigieg said that the FAA was not closing down any airspace, but that “there was an issue with pilots who were helping get Starlink equipment to where it needed to be,” the outlet reported.
A post on Facebook claims that Buttigieg has made an announcement that he has HIV. The post shared white text over a red and orange background with cartoon flames.
“BREAKING: Pete Buttigieg reveals that he is HIV-positive,” the post reads. (RELATED: Did Buttigieg Say Baltimore Bridge Collapse Helped Dismantle Racism In American Roads?)
There are no credible news reports to corroborate the claim. Although the account now appears to be deleted, the claim originated from an X account called @Breaking911OnX, which can be seen via an archived version. The account has been previously debunked in another Check Your Fact article, which mentioned that the account’s bio said “parody artist” while still active.
MSNBC analyst Tim Miller made a post acknowledging the spread of misinformation online, mentioning this claim. Buttigieg’s husband, Chasten, made a post condemning this piece of misinformation. “This is not how you win hearts and minds. Stay the course, folks,” the post reads, in part.