JD Vance Lays Into the Media for ‘Debunking’ Springfield Migrant Claims Instead of Listening to ‘People Speak Their Truth’
Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance laid into the media for “debunking a story that comes from the residents of Springfield” on Monday, and urged journalists to listen “to people speak their truth,” after he was criticized for promoting unfounded allegations about Haitian migrants eating pets in Ohio.
“I wish the American media was half as interested in the stress on the local schools, the stress on the hospitals, and unaffordable housing as they are in debunking a story that comes from the residents of Springfield,” said Vance at a campaign rally in North Carolina, Monday.
He then questioned, “Did you ever think about listening to people speak their truth instead of listening to some bureaucrat and assuming that everything they tell you is true?”
Reacting to Vance’s remarks on CNN, Springfield Mayor Rob Rue said, “I think it’s important to know just our governor has trusted the local government here because we are and we do know what’s going on, and we hear concerns about the community, but you know, we have told America that this story isn’t true.”
He continued, “There’s no reason for us other than to tell you the truth. We care about our community. We don’t want lies spread around like has happened for the last twelve to thirteen days.”
Last week, Rep. Mike Turner (R-OH) – whose district includes Springfield – criticized Vance and former President Donald Trump for promoting claims about Haitian migrants eating cats and dogs.
After CNN anchor Jake Tapper asked, “Should Donald Trump and JD Vance stop lying about these migrants eating people’s pets?” Turner replied, “This certainly is incredibly tragic and completely untrue… And this should not have happened. It’s been tearing the community apart.”
Republican Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine also wrote that he was “saddened” by the Trump campaign’s “verbal attacks” on migrants in the city.
Watch above via CNN.
