Trump says he plans to visit Springfield — its Republican mayor isn't so keen
JEFF KOWALSKY/Getty Images
- Donald Trump says he plans to visit Springfield, Ohio, within the next two weeks.
- Trump's baseless claims about Haitian migrants eating pets have caused tensions in the town.
- Springfield's Republican mayor said "it'd be fine with me" if Trump chose not to visit.
Former President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday night that he plans to visit Springfield, Ohio, in the coming weeks.
But the town's Republican mayor is not so enthusiastic about the idea.
"I'm going to Springfield, and I'm going to Aurora," Trump said at a rally in Long Island, New York, on Wednesday, adding that he planned on visiting within the next two weeks.
The former president thrust the small town of Springfield into the national spotlight earlier this month after making baseless claims about its Haitian migrant community eating pets during a presidential debate with Vice President Kamala Harris.
In a moment that has since gone viral, Trump said: "In Springfield, they are eating the dogs. The people who came in, they are eating the cats. They're eating — they're eating the pets of the people that live there."
A debate moderator fact-checked him, noting that city officials had said there were "no credible reports" of the Haitian community doing such a thing.
But the unfounded claims have, nonetheless, created a tense atmosphere in Springfield, which has faced bomb threats and has had to cancel numerous events, including an annual cultural festival.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, also a Republican, recently deployed state troopers to Springfield to be stationed around public schools amid the rise in threats.
On Tuesday, amid reports that a Trump visit was being planned, Springfield's Republican mayor, Rob Rue, expressed concerns about the idea.
He said during a news conference that the former president's visit would be an "extreme strain" on the town's resources.
"So it'd be fine with me if they decided not to make that visit," Rue said, per NBC News.
NBC News reported that DeWine, who also spoke at the press conference, said that while a presidential candidate's visit would usually be welcomed, this particular visit may further strain the town's resources.
Earlier this week, DeWine labeled the pet-eating claims as "garbage" and called for an end to the discussion, though he avoided directly criticizing Trump or his running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, 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.