Democracy Dies in Darkness

Trump pushes false claims about migrants eating dogs in Springfield, Ohio

On the debate stage Tuesday, Donald Trump doubled down on baseless and dehumanizing claims pushed by his running mate that immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, are stealing and eating pets.

6 min
Former president Donald Trump participates in the debate against Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday in Philadelphia. (Demetrius Freeman/The Washington Post)
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Former president Donald Trump on Tuesday doubled down on a false and dehumanizing claim — pushed by his running mate and some Republicans — that immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, who came into the country during the Biden-Harris administration are injuring and eating Americans’ pets.

“In Springfield, they’re eating the dogs. The people that came in, they’re eating the cats. They’re eating — they’re eating the pets of the people that live there,” Trump said at the ABC News debate between him and Vice President Kamala Harris. “And this is what’s happening in our country. And it’s a shame.”

When moderator David Muir pushed back, saying that the city manager of Springfield has said there were no credible reports of such claims, Trump refused to concede.

“I’ve seen people on television … the people on television claimed my dog was taken and used for food,” Trump said, interrupting Muir. “So maybe he said that, and maybe that’s a good thing to say for a city manager.”

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