Several GOP lawmakers have come to the defense of Donald Trump’s false claims that Haitian immigrants are eating pets in Ohio.
This week, Trump, JD Vance and other right-wingers have promoted the unfounded conspiracy theory that Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio are eating residents’ cats and dogs.
The theory – which city officials have said there is no evidence for – was even discussed on the debate stage as Trump faced off against Kamala Harris. Debate moderator David Muir pointed out the claim was unfounded, but Trump doubled down.
The baseless claim appears to have originated from a post describing a fourth-hand account on a Springfield Facebook group. There is no evidence to support the theory and city officials have rejected the claim.
Ohio Representative and House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan used the theory to promote Trump’s campaign earlier this week. Jordan, on the right of the Republican Party, is co-founder of the House Freedom Caucus.
“When President Trump was in office: 1. The border was secure. 2. Illegal aliens weren’t eating your pets,” Jordan wrote on X.
Meanwhile, Florida GOP Representative Greg Steube told NOTUS “apparently there’s pictures” to back up the claim.
“The fact that you’re saying it’s not happening, it’s not true,” he told NOTUS
Fellow Florida congressman Brian Mast also told NOTUS it’s “not a stereotype that people eat different animals.”
“You go to different markets in different parts of the world, and you’re going to find horse on the menu, you’re going to find dog on the menu, you’re going to find cat on the menu,” he said.
Other Republican lawmakers, when asked by The Independent earlier this week, dodged the topic.
This week, Texas Senator Ted Cruz shared a meme of a cat with the text “Please vote for Trump so Haitian immigrants don’t eat us.” But he had nothing to say about the theory when previously approached by The Independent.
“I talked about the debate last night on Hannity and also today’s podcast is entirely on that issue,” Cruz said.
Fellow Texan John Cornyn also brushed off The Independent’s question.
“If you have a serious question, I’m happy [to answer],” the senator previously told The Independent.
Meanwhile, the White House has condemned these claims.
“I think it’s important that all of us take a step back here and just lean on the facts here,” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on Thursday. “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,” she continued. “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.”