Trump Announces Upcoming Visits To Springfield And Aurora Amid Controversial Claims

Former president and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump announced during his speech at Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale on Wednesday that he planned to visit Colorado's Springfield and Aurora "in the next two weeks."

"In the next two weeks I'm going to Springfield and I'm going to Aurora," Trump said, CBS News reported. "You may never see me again but that's OK. I've gotta do what I gotta do."

In the last few weeks, the former president has mentioned Aurora multiple times, including during the presidential debate between him and Democratic nominee Kamala Harris. In his speeches, Trump had claimed that a criminal gang from Venezuela had taken over the city.

Rep. Lauren Boebert, a Republican from Colorado's 3rd District, who was now running to represent the 4th District, shared her thoughts on Trump's visit.

"I am thrilled to see President Trump announce he's coming to Colorado. Biden-Harris Administration's failed border policies," she said, stressing that these border policies were causing safety issues in Aurora and nearby Denver. "Coloradans need President Trump back in office and we cannot wait to welcome him to our state soon!"

Trump attended a campaign fundraiser in Aspen, Colorado, last month, but he hasn't visited the state much during his campaign.

A special task force, comprising the Aurora Police Department, Colorado State Patrol and the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, has been created to crack down on the Venezuelan gang called Tren de Aragua in the city.

Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman said the task force has been put into practice for a while, and added that currently one of their main focuses was connecting with and learning from the community. The Coffman and Aurora police said they can't share too many details about what the new task force will do to avoid jeopardizing any investigations.

While Trump confirmed the speculations of his Springfield visit, he and his party have been circulating unproven claims online for weeks that Haitian immigrants in the Colorado city were eating dogs and other 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. And this is what's happening in our country. And it's a shame," Trump said.