John Kirby, spokesperson for the National Security Council, told reporters Tuesday a false conspiracy theory championed by Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance that Haitian immigrants are eating pets in Springfield, Ohio, is “disinformation” that is “based on an element of racism.”
John Kirby, National Security Council spokesperson, said the conspiracy largely spread by JD Vance ... [+]
Kirby criticized “elected officials in the Republican Party” for pushing “yet another conspiracy theory that’s just seeking to divide people based on lies.”
Kirby’s statement came hours after Vance doubled down, claiming he has received “many inquiries” from Springfield residents whose neighbors have had pets abducted by Haitian migrants—though he admitted it’s “possible” these rumors are fake.
Springfield police told Forbes on Monday there have been “no credible reports or specific claims of pets being harmed, injured or abused by individuals within the immigrant community.”
Kirby said the rumors are “dangerous” because people “might act on that kind of information and act on it in a way where somebody could get hurt,” despite how “ludicrous and stupid it is.”
Forbes has reached out to the White House for comment.
Unfounded claims that Haitian immigrants have abducted and eaten local wildlife and Springfield residents’ pets went viral on social media this week, particularly after Vance posted on Monday that “reports” have indicated pets have been eaten, though he did not cite specific incidents. The claims were widely circulated by other elected officials and right-wing commentators with large followings, including Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Elon Musk. Supporters of former President Donald Trump’s campaign have turned the conspiracy theory into a rallying cry, posting artificial intelligence-generated pictures depicting Trump saving local wildlife. Vance and other commentators have used the false claims to attack Vice President Kamala Harris, citing the Biden administration’s offer of temporary protected status to hundreds of thousands of Haitian migrants. Some viral posts falsely claimed Springfield was the site of an incident last month that was actually in Canton, Ohio, in which a woman was arrested and charged with cruelty to companion animals for allegedly eating a cat, the Springfield News-Sun reported.
Springfield officials have reportedly estimated that about 20,000 migrants from Haiti have settled in the city, mostly since the pandemic, fleeing escalating gang violence in their home country. The New York Times reported schools and health clinics in Springfield, which had a population of about 58,000 in 2020, have faced pressure with the increasing population, though the increase in residents has helped revitalize what was a shrinking economy.
JD Vance false conspiracy on Haitian immigrants is ‘dangerous,’ Biden NSC spokesman says (CNBC)