Claims circulating on social media have falsely depicted Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg wearing a breastfeeding device. This misinformation emerged after Buttigieg took paternity leave in August to care for his newborn twins with his husband, Chasten. The altered image was used in posts criticizing Buttigieg, particularly concerning supply chain issues during his leave. However, this image is not authentic. It is a manipulated version of an original photo showcasing a product called the “Father’s Nursing Assistant.”
The fake image, shared widely across platforms like Instagram and Facebook, shows a person resembling Pete Buttigieg seemingly using an artificial breastfeeding device. Captions accompanying the image often sarcastically criticize Buttigieg’s paternity leave amidst ongoing supply chain disruptions. These posts gained considerable traction, accumulating over a thousand interactions. However, these claims are based on a digitally altered image.
Fact check: Altered image of Pete Buttigieg seemingly using a Father's Nursing Assistant device, debunked as fake.
The original photograph originates from a video featured on the website of Dentsu, a Japanese technology company. Dani Simons, spokesperson for the Department of Transportation, confirmed that the image of Buttigieg is indeed fake. The “Father’s Nursing Assistant” is a real product developed by Dentsu and was showcased at the South by Southwest (SXSW) festival in 2019. This device was designed to allow fathers to participate in the breastfeeding experience, offering mothers respite and shared parental responsibilities in infant feeding.
The manipulated image replaces the face of the man in the original Dentsu photograph with Pete Buttigieg’s likeness. Furthermore, the child in the altered image appears significantly older than Buttigieg’s infant twins, further highlighting the fabrication. Pete Buttigieg himself shared a genuine photo of his twins with his husband on Twitter on September 4, 2021, contrasting sharply with the fabricated breastfeeding image.
Therefore, the claim that Pete Buttigieg was pictured wearing a breastfeeding device is false. Our fact check concludes that the image is ALTERED. It is a manipulated version of an image advertising the “Father’s Nursing Assistant” device, with Buttigieg’s face digitally superimposed. This misinformation attempts to criticize Pete Buttigieg’s paternity leave and response to supply chain issues, but relies on a fabricated and misleading visual.
Fact-check sources:
- Original USA TODAY Fact Check Article
- Dentsu “Father’s Nursing Assistant” Product Page
- Pete Buttigieg’s Tweet of Twins
