Trump Doubles Down On False Pet-Eating Claims: Suggests Haitian Migrants Eat ‘Other Things Too’
by Sara Dorn · ForbesTopline
Former President Donald Trump reportedly claimed Wednesday that Haitian migrants living in Springfield, Ohio, are “eating other things too that they’re not supposed to be,” defending his false allegations that migrants are eating people’s pets as he ups his incendiary rhetoric surrounding immigration in the days leading up to the election.
Key Facts
Trump said he “was just saying what was reported” when asked at a Univision town hall Wednesday if he “really believe[s] that these people are eating the people’s pets,” CNN and The New York Times reported.
Trump reportedly went on to suggest migrants are “eating other things too that they’re not supposed to be,” though it’s unclear what “other things” Trump was referring to in the town hall, which will air Wednesday night.
Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, fueled the false allegation over the past month, despite city officials in Springfield saying there are no credible reports of Haitian migrants abducting and eating other residents’ pets.
Earlier Wednesday, Trump repeated other false claims about the Haitian migrants during a pre-taped town hall with Fox News, alleging the government “just dropped 30,000 illegal aliens in Springfield, Ohio.”
Springfield city officials estimate there are approximately 12,000-15,000 immigrants, including Haitians, living there, and notes on its website that “Haitian immigrants are here legally, under the Immigration Parole Program,” which allows them to apply for temporary protected status while their immigration cases make their way through the courts.
Tangent
The claim appears to stem from some viral posts that erroneously linked an incident in Canton, Ohio, in which a woman was arrested and charged with cruelty to companion animals for allegedly killing and eating a cat, to Springfield, the Springfield News-Sun reported. Vance amplified the claim in a post on X last month that alleged “reports” show “people have had their pets abducted and eaten by people who shouldn’t be in this country.” Despite city officials debunking the claim, Vance has continued to amplify it, noting it’s “possible, of course, that all of these rumors will turn out to be false” in a subsequent post on X.
Key Background
The claim about Haitian migrants stealing and eating cats and dogs in Springfield has become a primary talking point for Trump as he seeks to demonize immigrants. “These are the worst criminals in the world . . . these people are the most violent people on Earth,” he said during a speech last week in Aurora, Colorado, where he vowed to put “vicious and bloodthirsty criminals in jail or kick them out of our country,” describing them as “stone-cold killers.” Trump has said he would use the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, which was previously used in times of war, to round up undocumented migrants en masse and deport them.
Further Reading
How JD Vance Distanced Himself From The False Pet-Eating Conspiracy In Springfield He Helped Spread (Forbes)