The US government has strongly condemned former President Donald Trump for spreading unfounded claims that immigrants eat pets. It is dangerous for leaders to spread “hateful rhetoric and bizarre slander” that has been refuted, White House Press Secretary Carine Jean-Pierre said in Washington when asked about Trump’s recent comments. “Yes, it is concerning. It is dangerous,” she stressed. Some migrants from Haiti have feared for their safety as such conspiracy theories spread.
Republican presidential candidate Trump has accused immigrants of eating pets. “In Springfield, they eat dogs. People who come here eat cats. They eat the pets of the people who live there,” Trump said in a televised duel with Democrat Kamala Harris, before an audience of millions, providing no evidence for the claim. Trump was referencing comments by his running mate JD Vance, who has claimed that illegal Haitian immigrants steal and eat pets in his hometown of Springfield, Ohio.
According to US media, Springfield authorities are not aware of any such incident. City Hall was evacuated Thursday after a bomb threat. It was unclear whether the incident was related to recent headlines about Springfield. Jean-Pierre said the background is being investigated.
Vance himself recently admitted to Platform:
In response to Vance’s comments, numerous Republicans have been posting AI-generated images on social networks for days, typically showing cats or geese with a plea for help. President Trump also recently tweeted on TruthSocial, “Don’t let them eat us. Vote for Trump!”
Trump has repeatedly described immigrants as dangerous criminals, and has used dehumanizing language, calling them “animals,” among other things. The president spoke at a statehouse in Arizona, saying the U.S. is dealing with an unprecedented invasion of immigrants who are destroying the country. He once again targeted Springfield, claiming that immigrants there are fleeing with geese and pets.
