Former President Donald Trump plans to visit Springfield, Ohio “soon,” a source familiar with the plan told NBC News.
The town has become the center of a national political battle over immigration with Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio. spreading baseless conspiracy theories Haitian immigrants in Springfield eat dogs and other pets.
Although there are unsubstantiated claims spread on the internet For weeks, rumors in right-wing circles were rife last week when Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris met for a debate in Philadelphia.
“In Springfield, [Ohio]they eat dogs. People entering. They eat cats. They eat food – they eat the pets of the people who live there. And this is what is happening in our country. And it’s a shame,” Trump said on the debate stage.
The news about Trump’s visit also comes from his ally Vivek Ramaswamy Announced in X he will visit the city on Thursday.
Officials in Springfield and the state of Ohio have strongly denied all allegations that immigrants in the city eat pets.
In Statement to NBC News On Monday, before the debate, the Springfield Police Department said there were “no credible reports or specific allegations of pets being harmed, injured or abused by individuals within the immigrant community.”
On Sunday, Ohio Governor Mike DeVine told ABC News that there was no evidence that immigrants in Springfield were eating pets and conspiracy theories were “rubbish”.
“Haitians in Springfield are legitimate. They came to work in Springfield. Ohio is on the move and Springfield has really had a great resurgence,” DeWine added.
Municipal buildings in the city since the discussions has become the target of bomb threats and immigrants in Springfield reported to feel insecure.
“We’re hurting right now,” Springfield Mayor Rob Rue told NBC News on Meet the Press NOW on Friday, adding that if Trump decides to visit Springfield, “it’s going to be a tough, tough trip.” can.”
Asked what she would say to Trump if she could, Rue said, “We need help, not hate. And we need quiet voices.”
Sunday, Vance controversial He called his claims about Haitian immigrants baseless, telling NBC News’ “Meet the Press,” saying, “I hear you say they’re baseless, but I’m not repeating them because I made them up out of thin air.”
“I repeat them because my constituents say they happened,” he said. “Obviously, these rumors are out there, because voters see it with their own eyes.”
In a later interview with CNN, Vance repeated his earlier remarks and blasted “the American media” for not paying attention to what he claimed was happening in Springfield.
“If I have to create stories so that the American media will really focus on the suffering of the American people, then I will,” Vance said.
His “create[ing] stories,” Vance said. “What I’m saying is that we’re creating a story, which is that we’ve focused the American media on it.”
Trump’s daughter-in-law Lara Trump, co-chair of the Republican National Committee and Trump’s daughter-in-law, answered the question in an interview with Fox News about whether Trump and Vance’s claims were untrue: “It’s not up to me to decide. This information came directly. Nobody in our campaign from the people of Springfield — Donald Trump didn’t make this up himself.”