-
Donald Trump has announced that he will visit Springfield, Ohio, within two weeks.
-
Trump’s unsubstantiated claims about Haitian migrants eating pets have fueled tensions in the city.
-
The Republican mayor of Springfield said it would be “fine with me” if Trump chose not to visit.
Former President Donald Trump announced Wednesday night that he plans to visit Springfield, Ohio, in the coming weeks.
But the city’s Republican mayor isn’t so enthusiastic about the idea.
“I’m going to Springfield and I’m going to Aurora,” Trump said Wednesday at a rally in Long Island, New York, adding that he planned to visit there within two weeks.
The former president thrust the town of Springfield into the national spotlight earlier this month after making unsubstantiated claims during a presidential debate about the Haitian immigrant community eating pets. Vice President Kamala Harris.
In a moment that has since gone viral, Trump said, “In Springfield, they eat the dogs. The people that came in, they eat the cats. They eat — they eat the pets of the people that live there.”
A debate moderator did a fact check on him and noted that City officials had said there were “no credible reports” of the Haitian community that does something like this.
The unsubstantiated claims have nevertheless created a tense atmosphere in Springfield, with bomb threats coming in and numerous events, including an annual cultural festival, having to be canceled.
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, also a Republican, recently sent state troopers to Springfield to be stationed around public schools because of the growing threat.
On Tuesday, Springfield’s Republican Mayor Rob Rue expressed concerns about the idea amid rumors that a Trump visit was planned.
At a press conference, he said the former president’s visit would put an “extreme strain” on the city’s resources.
“So I’m fine with them deciding not to make that visit,” Rue said, according to NBC News.
According to NBC News, DeWine, who also spoke at the news conference, said that a visit from a presidential candidate is usually welcome, but that this one could further strain the city’s resources.
Earlier this week, DeWine called the pet-eating claims “nonsense” and called for an end to the debate. However, he avoided directly criticizing Trump or his running mate, Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio, for their role in spreading the falsehoods.
Neither Trump’s campaign nor the mayor’s office immediately responded to a request for comment from Business Insider.
Read the original article on Business Insider
