White House: Online conspiracy theory about Haitians eating pets ‘complete BS,’ ‘misinformation’

The White House on Tuesday called claims that Haitian immigrants are abducting and eating pets “dangerous“ and “misinformation“ after GOP vice presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance (Ohio) amplified the accusations.

“This kind of misinformation is dangerous. Because there will be people that believe it, no matter how ludicrous and stupid it is. And they might act on that kind of misinformation and act on it in a way where somebody can get hurt so it needs to stop,” national security communications adviser John Kirby said.

Vance on Monday published a video of him at a July hearing, reading a letter from Springfield city manager Bryan Heck detailing the city’s challenges in keeping up with housing for a growing Haitian immigrant population. He added a reference to a now-debunked claims on social media that “people have had their pets abducted and eaten by people who shouldn’t be in this country.”

Those reports are largely based on social media postings that were picked up by national figures including Charlie Kirk and Elon Musk over the weekend. The Springfield Police Division has said it has received no reports about anyone stealing or eating pets.

Kirby noted that the Springfield police said it is not happening and called the claims “absolute nonsense”

“What’s deeply concerning to us is you’ve got elected officials in the Republican Party pushing yet another conspiracy theory that’s just seeking to divide people based on lies and, let’s be honest, based on racism,” Kirby said. “I think all Americans should expect more and better from the people that they’re electing to represent them.”

“I think what we need to have is—instead of complete BS being pushed out there—is a more meaningful discussion about how we can develop legal pathways for people who have come into this country and fair opportunities for then, if they come in legally,” he added.

The claims stemmed from a Springfield City Commission meeting in August when a local resident alleged, among other things, that Haitian immigrants were slaughtering park ducks for food. 

Vance on Tuesday said on X that his office “received many inquiries from actual residents of Springfield who’ve said their neighbors’ pets or local wildlife were abducted by Haitian migrants,” adding that “it’s possible” all those rumors are false.