During the presidential debate on Wednesday, former President Donald Trump made the insane claim that Haitian migrants in Springfield, Ohio were killing and eating pets from the community.
“They’re eating the dogs — the people that came in — they’re eating the cats,” Trump said, seemingly out of nowhere, referring to a racist, far-right conspiracy theory that has circulated online. “They’re eating the pets of the people that live there, and this is what’s happening in our country.”
Multiple outlets, including ABC News which hosted the debate, fact-checked the outrageous statement. Debate moderator David Muir clarified that the Springfield city manager had said there were “no credible reports of specific claims of pets being harmed, injured, or abused by individuals within the immigrant community.”
Still, the comment enraged much of the public, and several artists — particularly those with connections to Haiti and Springfield— made sure to call Trump out. Here are the celebrities who have spoken out about Trump’s racist comments.
John Legend
John Legend brings a unique perspective to the controversy surrounding Trump’s claims that Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio are eating household pets. Legend is from Springfield, and after the September 10 presidential debate, the EGOT-winning pop-R&B superstar posted a video commenting on the situation in his home state.
“Our city had been shrinking for decades. We didn’t have enough jobs,” he said. “During the Biden administration, there’ve been more jobs that opened up — more manufacturing jobs, more plants, factories — that needed employees and were ready to hire people. During the same time, there had been upheaval and turmoil in Haiti. Our demand in Springfield for additional labor met up with the supply of additional Haitian immigrants.”
Legend also placed the hopes and dreams of newly arrived Haitian immigrants in the context of previous waves of immigration to the Buckeye State. “All of us need to have the same kind of grace that we would want for our ancestors,” he said.
Flavor Flav
Flavor Flav poked fun at Trump with a hilarious tweet that emphasized just how ridiculous the former president’s claims were. He fired off a tweet, warning artists with dog-themed names to watch out: “Pet Shop Boys better stay inside and lock the doors,” he tweeted. “You too Snoop Dogg. And Pitbull.”
Bette Midler
Actress Bette Midler, who has been a stark opponent of Trump over the years, live-tweeted during the debate, poking fun at how the former President pivoted from Vice President Kamala Harris claiming that folks were leaving his rallies out of boredom.
“‘People don’t leave my rallies.’ Hahahahahaha,” she wrote. “Now he’s spreading that lie about eating cats. Muir says NO PETS have been harmed.”
Wyclef Jean
Trump’s baseless and incendiary claims also drew the ire of Wyclef Jean, a Haitian immigrant who moved to the U.S. with his family when he was a child. The rapper-producer and co-founder of the Fugees told TMZ, ““I will be forever grateful for my family’s life, for having a fair chance to live what is called the ‘American Dream,’” adding that America’s immigrant tradition is its “greatest asset.”
Wyclef also offered this heartfelt claim for tolerance and sanity. “On behalf of Haitian Americans, I ask that we stop these racist messages and accusations. Put our hands out in peace and say thanks for being my neighbor.”
Francis Ford Coppola
Francis Ford Coppola took to Instagram to share how disgusted he was with Trump’s comments.
“I really was infuriated during the debates, when Haitian people were disparaged,” he wrote in a post. “I feel Haitian people are among the most kind, generous, talented, wonderful I have ever known. They have never been forgiven for winning what was a slave-revolt, and have been punished ever since they liberated themselves.”
He continued, “The remarks that they ‘eat the pets of people’ is so outrageously insulting to a brave, creative and absolutely wonderful people, I cannot tolerate or remain silent.”
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