A bomb threat in Springfield, Ohio, which caused the evacuation of the town’s City Hall, schools, and other public buildings, has been attributed to Donald Trump’s claims that Haitian migrants are killing and eating local people’s pets. Mayor Rob Rue said Republicans who repeated the claim on social media, which officials say is unfounded, had stoked anti-immigration sentiment in the town and prompted “hateful language towards immigrants and Haitians in our community.”
Mr. Rue told reporters that the bomb threat mentioned Haitian migrants and confirmed that no explosive devices were located in a subsequent search. On the city government’s Facebook page, officials announced several buildings would be evacuated “as a precautionary measure.” The statement also urged local people to stay away from the area surrounding City Hall while investigations were conducted and to report any suspicious activity they encountered.
Former President Trump has faced a storm of criticism since repeating the rumor during his highly anticipated debate against Vice President Kamala Harris in Philadelphia. Critics say Harris successfully baited Mr. Trump into losing his cool and complaining that migrants “eat dogs.” He also accused Harris of paying people to attend her rallies. When an ABC moderator told the former President there was no credible evidence to back up the claim about pets, Trump doubled down and insisted that Springfield residents complained online that cats and dogs, as well as geese from local parks, had been stolen.
Following the debate, the GOP candidate reposted several related memes and images on his Truth Social media account, generating further condemnation. Mr. Trump’s running mate, Ohio Senator JD Vance, told reporters that “no one had spread false claims” and Haitian migrants had “caused a lot of problems” in the Buckeye State.
Nevertheless, the White House has fiercely condemned Trump’s remarks, saying “this kind of disinformation” is dangerous and can potentially fuel violence. During a press conference, National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said the rumors were “deeply concerning” and derived from racism.
Springfield Mayor Mr. Rue sought to reassure residents, however, and told them there were no reports of pets being killed, saying it was unfortunate that a spotlight had been shone on a story that was “not true at all.”
