Logan Church: US correspondent reveals where Trump heard migrants were eating people's pets

Donald Trump's out-the-gate claim that migrants eat people's pets has gone viral.

In yesterday's presidential debate, the former President claimed migrants in Springfield, Ohio were eating dogs and cats.

US correspondent Logan Church says Trump got it from a social media post.

"There was absolutely no proof or evidence of anything like this actually happening. But that rumour started spreading like wildfire."

Springfield's mayor's released a statement saying it's disappointing misinformation's skewed - and been amplified in the debate.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
So here's the question, how did Donald Trump get to
the point where he said this in the debate last
night in Springfield. They're eating the dogs, the people that
came in. They're eating the cats, They're eating they're eating
the pets of the people that live there. One news correspondent,
Logan Church, was at the debate. Hay Logan, good evening, Logan.

(00:22):
This has come from that Facebook page, a from the
Springfield Local private Facebook page, and it's just gone from there.

Speaker 2 (00:28):
Yeah. I came originally from a social media post where
someone sited a friend of a neighbors also claims that
the cats have been found carved up to the easan
and the remains hanging from a branch of a Haitian
person's home. Now, I need to be very clear, there
was absolutely no proof or evidence of anything like this
actually happening, but that rumor started spreading like wildfire online,

(00:51):
particularly among conservative circles. There were claims about other cats
and dogs, and then there were geese apparently being beheaded
in the past. And I was actually at my desk
the other day a couple of days before the debates,
and I saw the rumor published as fact by newsletters
affiliates with the Donald Trump campaign. So this essentially internet

(01:13):
conspiracy then starts have been repeated the basin by a
you know, a political candidate in this highly contentious political race. Now,
as of every conspiracy theory, there is always a kernel
of truth, and there is a kernel of truth from
this one has got nothing to do with dead cats
and dogs and geese. It is to do with the

(01:33):
fact that the small city of Springfield does have challenges
worth dealing with an influx of migrants. Now they're all
there perfectly legally, but there are of course challenges of
having large numbers of people come and cecil in assc
many cities across America and the world. I'm dealing with
this problem. But then Donald Trump comes on to the
presidential debate stage and repeats this conspiracy theory. And it

(01:56):
gets even more bizarre from there, because you heard from
Donald Trump before what exactly he said. Now, straight after that,
one of the modern racers jumped in and fact checked him, saying, well,
the ABC News vision had contacted the local city authorities
and they said there were no reports of anything like
this actually happening. And Donald Trump then said, well, he

(02:16):
saw the claims being talked abous on television. That was
his proof that he said live in the debate. So
today the poor city manager of the City of Springfield
actually put out a video statement saying, and I'm going
to quote here, it is disappointing that many of the
narratives surrounding our city has been skewed by misinformation circulating
on social media and further amplified by political rhetoric and

(02:41):
the highly charged presidential election cycles. So a conspiracy theory
that started in a small city that's now gone around
the world and back again.

Speaker 1 (02:50):
Now, logan, I don't want to sound like I believe it,
but I've got to ask this question. Okay, they are
saying that there is no evidence to prove that this
is happening, But can they say it definitely isn't happening.
You see the distinction.

Speaker 2 (03:06):
Well, jdie Vance, the VP pick for Joe Biden, was
asked about this on CNN last night after the debate,
and he said exactly the same thing. He said, oh, well,
the local officials, and I'm summarizing here, but local officials
say there are no reports. That doesn't mean it's actually happening,
and that he said that his constituents on the ground.

(03:28):
The people he were talking to say that it was
happening through first and second hand accounts. But I have
to reiterate that reporters have been on the ground there.
Even though JD. Vance challenged reporters to go on the
ground and investigate it themselves, they have been there and
there has been no evidence that has emerged showing that
migrants have been beheading geese in the local park. At

(03:50):
this stage, it remains a conspiracy theory. That is all
that it remains. Yet it is has, I guess, developed
into this life of its own after this presidential debate.
There's been quite astonishing to watch, and I think just
listening to the you know, the local city official. He
gave out that statement and then he continued on for
the next two minutes or so talking about all the

(04:11):
wonderful things about Springfield, and I almost felt sorry for
the guy, because now if anybody thinks about the city
of Springfield and Ohio, the only thing they think about
is be headed cats and dogs and geese. So, you know,
certainly a very bizarre turn and this very serious presidential debate.

Speaker 1 (04:28):
You have very good point, Logan, Thank you very much.
Logan Church One uses US correspondent For more from Heather
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