During a town hall at Univision, Trump persisted in propagating baseless allegations concerning Haitian migrants allegedly consuming pets in Ohio.
Inquired about the authenticity of his statement by an audience member, Trump maintained that he was merely "repeating what was reported."
"All I do is relay information," Trump mentioned, without disclosing his sources apart from citing "newspapers." Additionally, Trump, without providing any proof, claimed that the migrant community engages in consuming other forbidden items as well.
These provocative statements were made during a Univision event in Florida, moderated by Mexican journalist Enrique Acevedo. Trump has gained traction with Hispanic voters, but Vice President Kamala Harris still holds an edge – though narrower than Biden's in 2020 – with this demographic.
Harris, who participated in her own Univision town hall the previous week, has repeatedly criticized Trump concerning allegations about Haitians, stating at an NABJ discussion in September that the former president is "spreading falsehoods based on stereotypes."
The right-wing misconceptions regarding Haitian individuals residing in Springfield under Temporary Protected Status have become a common theme in Trump's dark and often misleading immigration discourse. His running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, has further fueled these theories, against the wishes of his home state's Republican governor, Mike DeWine, as well as the city's mayor and police chief.
An onslaught of unattributed threats directed at Springfield's Haitian community resulted in the cancellation of a cultural diversity celebration. DeWine, who in September labeled the viral story as "garbage" and "completely unfounded," eventually requested state police intervention to safeguard students.
Trump has previously claimed that these Haitian migrants, despite their legally protected status, are "undocumented immigrants in my eyes," expressing his intention to rescind their status and expel them if re-elected in November.
In response to the initial question directed at him on Wednesday, which highlighted this statement, Trump did not offer a direct response but hinted at an impending visit.
"I'm going to pay a visit," Trump declared, "and after my examination, I'll provide a thorough account of my findings."
Trump had accused Haitian migrants of consuming pets of Springfield residents during a debate with Harris in September. When prompted by the moderator, Trump claimed he'd seen television reports stating that "pets were eaten by the people that relocated there."
A City of Springfield spokesperson told CNN shortly afterwards that "there have been no credible reports or specific allegations of pets being harmed, injured or abused by individuals within the immigrant community."
Trump defended his controversial statements by stating, "I'm just repeating what's reported in the newspapers," indicating a link between politics and media. Furthermore, the politics of immigration became a contentious issue during the event, with Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris having contrasting views.
