Republican Ohio governor condemns Trump and Vance over Springfield allegations | Ohio

Ohio Republican Governor Mike DeWine on Friday criticized former US President Donald Trump and his vice presidential candidate JD Vance for repeating right-wing extremist claims that Haitian immigrants were eating other residents' pets in the city of Springfield, Ohio.

The conspiracy theories have caused an uproar and led to a flood of threats and harassment.

In an op-ed published in the New York Times on Friday, DeWine called it “disappointing” that Springfield had “become the epicenter of anger over American immigration policy.” He specifically accused Trump and Vance of spreading disinformation.

“As a supporter of former President Donald Trump and Senator JD Vance, it saddens me that they and others continue to repeat claims without evidence and disparage legal immigrants in Springfield,” DeWine wrote. “This rhetoric is damaging to the city and its people, and it is damaging to those who have spent their lives here.”

DeWine said Trump and Vance raised important questions about the “Biden administration's failure to control the southern border.”

But the governor, who said he was born in Springfield, added: “But their verbal attacks against these Haitians – who are legally in the United States – dilute and cloud what should be a winning argument about the border.”

DeWine's comments have drawn mixed reactions from leading Democrats in Ohio.

Some supported DeWine's essay amid fierce criticism of Haitian immigrants in Springfield. Ohio State Rep. Allison Russo, Minority Whip, praised DeWine's essay in a post to X.

“I welcome [DeWine] for this fair and very thoughtful comment on [Springfield, Ohio] and the Haitian immigrants who are working hard to build a future there,” she wrote.

Meanwhile, Ohio Senate Speaker Nickie Antonio told the Guardian she agreed with DeWine's essay but was “disappointed” that DeWine was still supporting Trump and Vance in the 2024 presidential election.

“What the governor with all his [essay]what I find beautiful is that Trump and JD Vance got the whole thing started and are now taking it further,” Antonio said.

“They continue to drum up support and incite violence, hatred and discrimination against people who are legally present in our country, in our state and in this community.”

Antonio added that DeWine is a “sensitive and decent person” who has done positive things for Ohio, but added, “I don't know how any reasonable person could put party affiliation above decency and some sense of the common good right now, because there is none of that in statements like this.”

Trump said Wednesday he plans to visit Springfield “in the next two weeks.”

Both DeWine and Springfield Mayor Rob Rue, also a Republican, spoke out against such a visit due to security concerns.

“A visit by the former president will undoubtedly place additional demands on our security infrastructure,” Rue said during a press conference on Thursday. “If he decides to change his plans, it would be an important sign of peace for the city of Springfield.”

DeWine had previously questioned dehumanizing rumors about Haitian immigrants in Springfield.

In an interview with CBS News last week, DeWine said the rumor started on the internet, which “can be pretty crazy sometimes.”

DeWine added: “Mayor [Rob] Rue from Springfield says, “No, that's not true.” They have no evidence whatsoever for that. So I think we're going to rely on what the mayor says. He knows his city.”

Meanwhile, Springfield schools received more than 30 bomb threats after the inflammatory rumors – despite no evidence to support them – made national headlines, and Trump brought up the issue in the presidential debate against his Democratic rival for the White House, Kamala Harris.

DeWine has since deployed the Ohio Highway Patrol to ensure safety.

“Bomb threats – all false – continue and have led to the temporary closure of at least two schools, the lockdown of the hospital and the closure of City Hall,” he wrote.