Donald Trump's focus on a false rumor about Haitian migrants in Ohio eating pets and his association with far-right agitator Laura Loomer dominated his campaign narrative this week, overshadowing his intended attacks on Democratic rival Kamala Harris' immigration policies. Despite the city of Springfield, Ohio, clarifying that the Haitian immigrants are legally present as part of a parole program, Trump and his allies, including Ohio Sen. JD Vance, continued to spread baseless claims. Trump promised mass deportations, using inflammatory language to describe undocumented immigrants, and declared himself the "border president."
Republicans view immigration as a key political issue and have targeted Harris, whom they label as President Biden's "border czar." However, Trump's inflammatory rhetoric, including false claims about migrants eating pets, was met with criticism from Biden and Pope Francis. The city of Springfield closed its city hall due to a bomb threat, and two schools were evacuated, prompting Mayor Rob Rue to call for national candidates to "pay attention to what their words are doing to cities like ours."
Trump's relationship with Laura Loomer, known for spreading conspiracy theories and racist comments, has raised eyebrows. Despite the controversy, Trump described Loomer as a "free spirit" and "supporter." Meanwhile, Harris campaigned in Pennsylvania, a crucial battleground state, emphasizing the importance of earning every vote and spending time with communities.
In summary, Trump's campaign was sidetracked by a false rumor and his association with Loomer, while Harris focused on Pennsylvania, aiming to maximize Democratic turnout and minimize Trump's margins in the state.
