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The White House has condemned the bizarre accusations that former president Donald Trump and his allies have leveled against Hatian immigrants in an Ohio town, calling the claim that they are eating cats and dogs “bizarre” and “hateful.”
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, herself the daughter of immigrants from Haiti, was asked if the Biden administration had a message for residents of Springfield, Ohio, where municipal buildings have become targets of bomb threats in the wake of former president Donald Trump making the ridiculous and baseless claims during his debate with Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday.
During the 90-minute session, the ex-president ranted about the false conspiracy theory in response to something Harris had said about the sizes of crowds at his rallies.
“In Springfield, they’re eating the dogs — the people that came in — they are eating the cats. They’re eating … they’re eating the pets of the people that live there,” he said.
In fact, there have been no instances of Haitian immigrants — or anyone — stealing and consuming household pets as food in that Ohio town, officials there have said. The town’s city manager and police chief have denied that any such incidents have taken place.
Pressed on the ex-president’s strange remark and the effect on the town’s residents, Jean-Pierre said: “I think it’s important that all of us take a step back here and just lean on the facts here. The Springfield, Ohio police department has debunked this very bizarre and very hateful smear that’s out there.”
“What is happening here is an attempt to tear apart communities and disrespect law enforcement, and that is the opposite of what our country deserves. It is undignified and an insult to all of us as Americans, not just one community, but to all of us as Americans. And it is spreading filth that makes the lives of the communities that are being smeared here. It puts their lives in danger and it is just hate speech. That’s what it is,” she said.
Jean-Pierre also noted that Haitian-Americans and immigrants in Springfield and elsewhere are now fearing for their safety because of the Trump-endorsed “conspiracy theory.”
“Maybe we should not have leaders who fall for fake internet conspiracy theories. Maybe we should not have leaders who do that. Our country deserves better,” she added.
