U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg can now add “dad” to his ever-growing list of titles.
Buttigieg, a 2020 Democratic presidential candidate and former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, said Tuesday that he and husband Chasten were “overjoyed” to have become first-time parents. He kept mum on specifics.
“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,” tweeted Buttigieg, 39. “We can’t wait to share more soon.”
The news was cheered by fellow politicians, LGBTQ advocacy groups and media personalities.
Buttigieg, who in February became the first openly gay Cabinet member in U.S. history to be confirmed by the Senate, had previously spoken about his desire to become a father.
“We’re hoping to have a little one soon, so I have a personal stake in this one, too,” he said in 2019, when asked about his views on paid family leave. “We should have paid parental leave and find a way to have paid leave for anyone who needs caring.”
In a separate interview with MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow that same year, Buttigieg predicted that Chasten, 32, was “going to be an amazing father.”
“I can’t wait to see ― I hope I will be good at it, too,” he added. “I can’t wait to see him have that chance.”