Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg said that men are ‘more free’ in a country with access to abortion and birth control, a perspective which one pro-life group says ‘undermines the value of women.’

‘I’m so glad she has made freedom the theme of her campaign, because I think in so many ways that’s at stake,’ Buttiegieg said of Vice President Kamala Harris during a ‘White Dudes for Harris’ virtual campaign event on Monday. ‘Of course, women’s freedom is Exhibit A after Donald Trump demolished the right to choose. But, of course, men are also more free in a country where we have a president who stands up for things like access to abortion care.’ 

‘Men are more free when the leader of the free world, the leader of this country, supports access to birth control and to IVF,’ he added.

Fox News Digital asked Buttigieg to expand on what he meant when he said abortion access made men freer, but his office did not respond at press time. 

Andrea Trudden, vice president of communications and marketing for Heartbeat International, a network of pro-life pregnancy resource centers, said the comment was ‘deeply troubling.’ 

‘This perspective not only undermines the value of women and their inherent dignity, but also perpetuates a culture that evades responsibility and fails to support women in their time of need,’ Truden told Fox News Digital. ‘This is a stark reminder of the cultural shift that needs to happen – one where men are called to embrace their roles as responsible adults who support women and children.’

Buttigieg has been floated as a potential running mate for Harris, though he is not at the top of the list of rumored candidates. 

Also on the ‘White Dudes for Harris’ campaign call were award-winning actor Jeff Bridges, ‘Lord of the Rings’ star Sean Astin and singer Josh Groban. 

Organizers said the goal of the fundraiser was to not ‘let the MAGA crowd bully other White guys into voting for a hateful and divisive ideology.’