Vance Backtracks On Pet Abduction Allegations In Ohio, Acknowledges Migrant Rumors Could Be False

A day after claiming on social media that Haitian immigrants were abducting and eating people's pets in Springfield, Ohio, Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance has backtracked on the allegation, saying, "It's possible, of course, that all of these rumors will turn out to be false."

In a tweet Tuesday, however, he said a child was murdered by a Haitian migrant.

"In the last several weeks, my office has received many inquiries from actual residents of Springfield who've said their neighbors' pets or local wildlife were abducted by Haitian migrants. It's possible, of course, that all of these rumors will turn out to be false," he wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter) on Tuesday.

"Do you know what's confirmed? That a child was murdered by a Haitian migrant who had no right to be here. That local health services have been overwhelmed. That communicable diseases--like TB and HIV--have been on the rise."

Vance further added that local schools were having a hard time helping new students, who don't speak English. He also mentioned that rent prices have gone up so quickly that many families in Springfield could no longer afford housing.

He went on to share a link to another post made by presidential candidate and Vice President Kamala Harris, in which she mentioned how the United States has "extended Temporary Protected Status to over 100,000 Haitian Migrants...They need support."

Trump's vice presidential candidate further wrote that if reporters or activists didn't care about struggling Americans until now, they should save their outrage. He suggested they should focus on the problems caused by Harris' policies and blame themselves for letting these issues happen.

"In short, don't let the crybabies in the media dissuade you, fellow patriots. Keep the cat memes flowing," he wrote in a follow-up post.

Springfield's city officials estimated that up to 20,000 Haitian immigrants have moved to the town in recent years, overwhelming community health clinics, as the demand increased by 13 times from 2021 to 2023, The New York Times reported.

Furthermore, the immigrants have also put pressure on housing and schools.