South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg Pete ButtigiegBillionaire who donated to Trump in 2016 donates to Biden The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by Facebook - GOP closes ranks to fill SCOTUS vacancy by November Buttigieg stands in as Pence for Harris's debate practice MORE (D) says that he has “never believed” in ending private insurance, denying charges that he has flipped his position on "Medicare for All."

Buttigieg, who is running for president and is attacking his rival Sen. Elizabeth Warren Elizabeth WarrenOvernight Defense: Appeals court revives House lawsuit against military funding for border wall | Dems push for limits on transferring military gear to police | Lawmakers ask for IG probe into Pentagon's use of COVID-19 funds On The Money: Half of states deplete funds for Trump's 0 unemployment expansion | EU appealing ruling in Apple tax case | House Democrats include more aid for airlines in coronavirus package Warren, Khanna request IG investigation into Pentagon's use of coronavirus funds MORE (D-Mass.) over her support for Medicare for All, has taken criticism for his own tweet last year when he vowed, “I do favor Medicare for All.”

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Seeking to explain that statement, Buttigieg

told The Nevada Independent

that the meaning of Medicare for All has changed, and what he meant was that everyone should have the option of Medicare, not that everyone should be forced onto it.

“Only in the last few months did it become the case that Medicare for All was defined by politicians to mean ending private insurance, and I’ve never believed that that’s the right pathway,” Buttigieg said in the interview. “I still think that we should move toward an environment of Medicare for All.”

Progressives sharply dispute the idea that the meaning of Medicare for All was unclear before a months ago, noting that Sen. Bernie Sanders Bernie SandersSirota reacts to report of harassment, doxing by Harris supporters Republicans not immune to the malady that hobbled Democrats The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by Facebook - Republicans lawmakers rebuke Trump on election MORE (I-Vt.) ran for the White House on a Medicare for All bill that replaced private insurance four years ago.

Buttigieg also appeared to defend a single-payer system that replaces private insurance in a February appearance on MSNBC, calling single-payer a “compromise position” because doctors and hospitals would still be privately owned.

Buttigieg’s campaign says he supports Medicare for All as an end goal but views his optional plan, which he has often called "Medicare for all who want it," as creating a “glide path” to get there.

In a potentially politically important move, Buttigieg also noted that some unions do not want to give up the health plans that they negotiated in favor of Medicare for All, noting Nevada’s powerful Culinary Union.

“I think the best approach is to make this Medicare option available to everybody, but not command everybody to adopt it, especially I’m thinking of folks like the Culinary workers right here in Nevada,” Buttigieg said in The Nevada Independent interview. “There are a lot of labor union members who have negotiated very good health plans that are part of their compensation, and I don’t think they want to be forced into a plan they don’t know.”