Vance supports putting Springfield in the national spotlight
The Ohio senator stated, “I'm still going to keep on talking about what the migrants have done to Springfield, Ohio."
TroibNews 
Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance defended his decision to thrust Springfield, Ohio, into the national spotlight during a sweep of Sunday shows, even as the city faced bomb threats and local officials urged an end to the coverage.
“I'm still going to keep on talking about what the migrants have done to Springfield, Ohio, and what Kamala Harris’ open border has done to Springfield, Ohio,” Vance stated in an interview with Dana Bash on CNN’s “State of the Union.” He expressed that he is hearing alarming reports about the situation in Springfield, attributing these issues to the policies of Kamala Harris.
Vance's comments come nearly a week after he shared unverified allegations about Haitians in Springfield and their purported actions, which led to former President Donald Trump referencing these claims during a debate. Despite local and state officials refuting these rumors, Vance maintained that he continues to discuss the Haitian immigrant situation based on numerous complaints he's received from his constituents.
Local leaders have urged politicians to refrain from vilifying Haitian immigrants, especially given that the heightened national focus has coincided with bomb threats targeting hospitals, schools, and city hall, as well as the presence of white supremacists.
“There’s a lot of garbage on the internet,” Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine mentioned during an interview with ABC’s “This Week,” emphasizing that the claims being circulated are false and lacking any evidence. He also pointed out that the Haitian immigrants residing in Springfield are there legally.
Springfield Mayor Rob Rue further criticized national political figures, asserting that their rhetoric has damaged the city: “All these federal politicians that have negatively spun our city, they need to know they're hurting our city, and it was their words that did it.”
Vance, a significant voice for the Trump-Vance campaign, rejected any responsibility for the unwanted attention on Springfield. When questioned on CBS’ “Face the Nation” about whether he regrets his statements regarding Haitian migrants, he sidestepped the issue. He condemned the bomb threats but clarified to Bash on CNN that his comments had not instigated any violence.
“There was nothing that I have said that has led to threats against these hospitals,” Vance remarked to CNN, condemning the violence as “disgusting.” He insisted that it is possible to criticize violence while also addressing the adverse effects of Harris’ border policies.
When given a chance to express remorse to a family that requested he refrain from discussing their deceased son, who died in a traffic incident involving a Haitian migrant, Vance expressed sympathy but did not offer an apology.
Vance further criticized the media for allegedly ignoring the situation until he and Trump raised it, saying, "I noticed that when you have Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, you gave them multiple choice answers to the questions that you asked and you allowed them to answer the questions.” He expressed frustration over Bash interrupting him, questioning the purpose of the interview if he couldn’t speak freely.
Democrats were quick to denounce Vance on Sunday shows for perpetuating rumors and targeting Haitian immigrants in Springfield. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro labeled Vance’s assertions as “bonkers,” noting, “The governor of Ohio, the mayor of that town in Ohio, has said this is all made up. These are all lies. There's no truth to it.” He critiqued Vance for shifting blame to his constituents for the unfounded allegations.
Rep. Jasmine Crockett also expressed concerns about Trump’s overall stance on immigration, asserting, "Every time he talks about an immigrant, he makes it seem as if they have done something nefarious. And it's not true."
Vance, however, emphasized that the narrative surrounding the threats and fear connected to immigrants is secondary to what he sees as the broader issue of immigration impacting American communities. “If I have to create stories so that the American media actually pays attention to the suffering of the American people, then that's what I'm going to do,” he stated to Bash. When pressed to clarify his comments about "creating stories," Vance maintained that the accounts are factual, asserting that he and Trump have successfully drawn media attention to the immigration challenges within the context of Harris’ policies.
Aarav Patel contributed to this report for TROIB News
“I'm still going to keep on talking about what the migrants have done to Springfield, Ohio, and what Kamala Harris’ open border has done to Springfield, Ohio,” Vance stated in an interview with Dana Bash on CNN’s “State of the Union.” He expressed that he is hearing alarming reports about the situation in Springfield, attributing these issues to the policies of Kamala Harris.
Vance's comments come nearly a week after he shared unverified allegations about Haitians in Springfield and their purported actions, which led to former President Donald Trump referencing these claims during a debate. Despite local and state officials refuting these rumors, Vance maintained that he continues to discuss the Haitian immigrant situation based on numerous complaints he's received from his constituents.
Local leaders have urged politicians to refrain from vilifying Haitian immigrants, especially given that the heightened national focus has coincided with bomb threats targeting hospitals, schools, and city hall, as well as the presence of white supremacists.
“There’s a lot of garbage on the internet,” Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine mentioned during an interview with ABC’s “This Week,” emphasizing that the claims being circulated are false and lacking any evidence. He also pointed out that the Haitian immigrants residing in Springfield are there legally.
Springfield Mayor Rob Rue further criticized national political figures, asserting that their rhetoric has damaged the city: “All these federal politicians that have negatively spun our city, they need to know they're hurting our city, and it was their words that did it.”
Vance, a significant voice for the Trump-Vance campaign, rejected any responsibility for the unwanted attention on Springfield. When questioned on CBS’ “Face the Nation” about whether he regrets his statements regarding Haitian migrants, he sidestepped the issue. He condemned the bomb threats but clarified to Bash on CNN that his comments had not instigated any violence.
“There was nothing that I have said that has led to threats against these hospitals,” Vance remarked to CNN, condemning the violence as “disgusting.” He insisted that it is possible to criticize violence while also addressing the adverse effects of Harris’ border policies.
When given a chance to express remorse to a family that requested he refrain from discussing their deceased son, who died in a traffic incident involving a Haitian migrant, Vance expressed sympathy but did not offer an apology.
Vance further criticized the media for allegedly ignoring the situation until he and Trump raised it, saying, "I noticed that when you have Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, you gave them multiple choice answers to the questions that you asked and you allowed them to answer the questions.” He expressed frustration over Bash interrupting him, questioning the purpose of the interview if he couldn’t speak freely.
Democrats were quick to denounce Vance on Sunday shows for perpetuating rumors and targeting Haitian immigrants in Springfield. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro labeled Vance’s assertions as “bonkers,” noting, “The governor of Ohio, the mayor of that town in Ohio, has said this is all made up. These are all lies. There's no truth to it.” He critiqued Vance for shifting blame to his constituents for the unfounded allegations.
Rep. Jasmine Crockett also expressed concerns about Trump’s overall stance on immigration, asserting, "Every time he talks about an immigrant, he makes it seem as if they have done something nefarious. And it's not true."
Vance, however, emphasized that the narrative surrounding the threats and fear connected to immigrants is secondary to what he sees as the broader issue of immigration impacting American communities. “If I have to create stories so that the American media actually pays attention to the suffering of the American people, then that's what I'm going to do,” he stated to Bash. When pressed to clarify his comments about "creating stories," Vance maintained that the accounts are factual, asserting that he and Trump have successfully drawn media attention to the immigration challenges within the context of Harris’ policies.
Aarav Patel contributed to this report for TROIB News
