Vivek Ramaswamy says he has seen no evidence of Haitian migrants eating cats and dogs

WASHINGTON: Staunch Trump ally and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy said he had seen no evidence that Haitian migrants ate cats and dogs in Springfield, Ohio – a debunked claim made by former President Donald Trump during the presidential debate this month.

“When I went to Springfield, I did not see that evidence,” Ramaswamy told CNN on Tuesday, adding, “There are residents in the community who have pointed that out.”

Ramaswamy’s latest comments came after he held a town hall meeting in Springfield on Sept. 19 and dodged questions from reporters about Trump’s claim.

“I’m not here to talk about the issues that the media loves to pick up,” Ramaswamy said during the event. “Cats and dogs, we’re not talking about that. We’re talking about people who are affected in this community.”

Ramaswamy withdrew from the presidential campaign in January and endorsed Trump. He has embraced baseless conspiracy theories, including that the January 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol was an inside job.

Numerous politicians have rejected Trump’s claim, including Ohio Republican Governor Mike DeWine, who called the allegations “nonsense” and said there was no evidence to support the claim.

Vice President Kamala Harris said in an interview with the National Association of Black Journalists in Philadelphia last week that her heart breaks for the Haitian community.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump ally says he has seen no evidence of Haitian migrants eating pets