Trump’s “they’re eating the pets” remarks at the presidential debate unleashed a torrent of right-wing smears on a community struggling to adjust to an influx of immigrants.

Donald Trump said he plans to visit two towns that have become flashpoints in the national debate over immigration and the center of unfounded conspiracy theories the former president has promoted about migrants.

Earlier that day, Springfield Mayor Rob Rue, a Republican, revealed he would be “fine” if Trump skipped a visit as “it would be an extreme strain on our resources.” Mayor Rue, City Manager Bryan Heck and Ohio’s Republican Governor Mike DeWine have all repeatedly debunked the claim.

Former President Trump pledged to travel to Springfield, Ohio, after false claims that he (R-Ohio), have made about Haitian immigrants eating pets in the city. Trump said at a rally in New York on Wednesday that he would go to the town in the next two weeks and also go to Aurora,

Former President Donald Trump's remarks about the dangers of visiting Springfield, Ohio, has led to massive backlash on social media. The GOP nominee is planning on going to Springfield in the next two weeks despite the mayor's plea for him not to visit after he spread false claims about local Haitian immigrants eating people's pets.

Former US President Donald Trump has announced that he will visit Springfield, Ohio, which is at the centre of a rumour — widely discredited as baseless — about Haitian immigrants killing and eating local residents' pets.

Former US president and his running mate have spread claims that Haitian migrants are abducting and eating cats and dogs.