JD Vance Counters CNN Host Over Claims About Pets, Migrants in Ohio City
Ohio GOP Senator JD Vance confronted CNN host Kaitlin Collins earlier this week after she tried to discredit him regarding claims from some of his constituents in Springfield, Ohio. These individuals allege that illegal Haitian migrants in the area have been capturing and consuming pets and wildlife.
These claims, originating from Springfield residents, have also sparked the creation of memes shared online, something Collins mentioned during her exchange with Vance. Vance, who is former President Donald Trump’s running mate, suggested that journalists should investigate the situation on the ground.
Collins addressed the issue by referencing a statement made by Trump during his debate with Vice President Kamala Harris. She asked, “Why push something that’s not true?” regarding what she described as a "misleading, false claim." Collins added that Springfield city officials have denied the incidents.
Vance, however, pushed back. He noted that “a number of constituents on the ground … both firsthand and secondhand reports” have indicated that pets have indeed been taken. He also pointed out that city officials haven’t outright dismissed the claims, saying instead, “they’ve said they don’t have all the evidence.”
Vance emphasized that journalists should be curious enough to investigate the reports, a point that seemed to be lost on Collins. He also argued that the media had shown little interest in the struggles faced by American citizens in Springfield until the claims about pets and wildlife being consumed arose.
Beyond these allegations, Vance highlighted the broader issue of an influx of illegal migrants in small and mid-sized U.S. cities under the Biden-Harris administration, a topic he argued the media rarely covers.
“Whether those exact rumors turn out to be mostly true, somewhat true, whatever the case may be, Kaitlan, this town has been ravaged by 20,000 migrants coming in. Health care costs are up. Housing costs are up. Communicable diseases like HIV and TB have skyrocketed in this small Ohio town. This is what Kamala Harris’s border policies have done,” Vance remarked, referring to Harris’ role as "border czar."
Collins responded with a sarcastic remark: “If someone calls your office and says they saw Bigfoot, that doesn’t mean they saw Bigfoot,” before questioning why Vance and Trump would “promote false information.”
Vance replied: “I have a responsibility as a United States senator — I think the media has a responsibility as an institution that cares about truth — to actually take people seriously when they say their lives have been ruined by this migrant crisis.”
Curiously, CNN posted the segment on YouTube with the claim that Vance was spreading “misinformation” — even though the network had not yet sent reporters to Springfield to confirm or debunk the claims.
WATCH:
Trump’s campaign managers, Chris LaCivita and Susie Wiles, declared Trump the “clear winner” of his debate with Harris, even though the debate was still ongoing at the time of their statement. The claim was shared by Real Clear Politics reporter Philip Wegmann at 10:33 pm ET, approximately ten minutes before the candidates’ closing statements.
Here’s the full statement:
“President Trump delivered a masterful debate performance tonight, prosecuting Kamala Harris’ abysmal record of failure that has hurt Americans for the last 4 years.
“We saw President Trump lay out his bold vision of America and how he would continue to build upon the successes of his first term by supercharging the economy, securing the border, and stopping crime from ravaging communities across the country.
“Conversely, Kamala’s vision of America was a dark reminder of the oppressive, big government policies of Joe Biden that she wants to continue. High inflation, a porous border that allows criminals and terrorists to flood across, and being soft on crime — that is what Kamala represents.
“The choice could not be more clear — President Trump was the clear winner tonight, and he will win for America when he returns to the White House.”