'Spare your outrage': J.D. Vance shrugs off fury over false claim that immigrants eat pets

Sen. J.D. Vance doubled down Tuesday on his debunked and criticized claim that Haitian immigrants have been stealing and eating pets in his state.

Vance, former President Donald Trump's running mate, wrote a defensive and lengthy X post in which he slams journalists for not giving "a s---" about a problem he admitted he has no evidence exists.

"In the last several weeks, my office has received many inquiries from actual residents of Springfield who've said their neighbors' pets or local wildlife were abducted by Haitian migrants," Vance wrote. "It's possible, of course, that all of these rumors will turn out to be false."

Vance then continued to hurl insults at the Haitian community he blamed for the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, rising rents and the death of a child.

The Ohio Republican does not name names, but was likely referring to the death of 11-year-old Aiden Clark in 2023, whose school bus was hit by a Haitian immigrant without a driver's license, local reports show.

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Hermanio Joseph, 36, was found guilty of vehicular manslaughter after a 2024 trial in which he testified he'd been unable to procure a U.S. driver's license because of his temporary protected status, but held a license in Mexico, the Springfield News-Sun reported.

Al Jazeera reports that an economically struggling Springfield first courted immigrants by launching a campaign to attract foreign- born residents, but tempers flared after the crash and Haitians began to face violent attacks in the city's streets.

The Al Jazeera report confirms Vance's assertion that schools and health centers have been struggling to accommodate students and residents who need translators.

Vance's decision to double down on the pet conspiracy — which Springfield police deny are true — comes as he faces mounting accusations of racism.

"There’s certainly some irony to note here," wrote MSNBC writer Ja'han Jones. "If there’s one party that has shown a willingness to excuse gruesome pet killings, it’s the party that countsSouth Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem as one of its members

"But the truth is a mere inconvenience for the Republican Party, whose members have shown a disturbing willingness to portray immigrants of color as uncivilized beasts unfit to walk among us."

For his part, Vance blames journalists, activists and those outraged by his false claims.

"If you're a reporter, or an activist, who didn't give a s--- about these suffering Americans until yesterday, I have some advice," Vance wrote. "Spare your outrage for your fellow citizens suffering under Kamala Harris's policies. Be outraged at yourself for letting this happen."