What he called them · 2024 campaign · № 121
Falsely claimed in a presidential debate that Haitian immigrants in Springfield were 'eating the dogs'
“In Springfield, they're eating the dogs. The people that came in, they're eating the cats. They're eating the pets of the people that live there. And this is what's happening in our country, and it's a shame.”
- Said
- , ABC presidential debate, Philadelphia
- Subject
- Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio
- Target
- Immigrants
- Topic
- Immigration
- Era
- 2024 campaign
What happened
The claim spread from social media posts amplified by running mate JD Vance. Springfield's city manager said there were 'no credible reports or specific claims of pets being harmed, injured or abused' by members of the immigrant community, and moderator David Muir cited that on air. At a Youngstown, Ohio, rally on October 12, 2026, Trump said the Haitians in Springfield were 'being taken out,' added 'I was right,' and said 'they're getting their town back.'