Trump said: “In Springfield, they’re eating the dogs.The people that came in. They’re eating the cats. They’re eating – they’re eating the pets of the people that live there. And this is what’s happening in our country, and it’s a shame.” His statement was later debunked by ABC moderator David Muir.
Trump was referring to a racist rumor spread by his running mate JD Vance that Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, had been abducting pets and eating them, “causing chaos” in the town. The Springfield Police Division stated that it was aware of the “rumors” but had no information to support them, according to the Independent.
His false claim has turned into a meme fest, and TikTok creators have transformed it into a new dance craze.
According to DailyMail.com, at least a dozen users have turned the song—created by a liberal account called ‘Casa Di Music,’ which has over half a million followers—into the latest trend.
On X, one user shared the video with the caption, “Somebody already made it into the song ‘Eat the Cat.'”
Another user wrote, “Trump breaks the internet with viral ‘They’re eating the dogs. They’re eating the cats’ remix trend taking over TikTok.”
A user also shared the video on X with her reaction, saying that TikTokers are trolling Donald Trump for saying migrants are eating cats. “New lesbian anthem just dropped had me rolling. Although we all know MAGA is sorely lacking in the cat-eating department if you catch my drift,” she added.
Since Trump mentioned Springfield, jokes about The Simpsons’ fictional hometown have surged online, particularly focusing on the family’s dog, Santa’s Little Helper.
“IN SPRINGFIELD THEY’RE EATING THE DOGS,” wrote one person on X, accompanied by a picture of the cartoon dog.
Another netizen remarked, “Santa’s Little Helper isn’t Homer’s lunch #PresidentialDebate.”
Springfield has been a focal point in the debate over immigration ever since thousands of Haitian migrants arrived in the city in 2020 to fill job vacancies.
Willing to take on blue-collar jobs that locals were unenthusiastic about, the Haitians, who were already in the country legally, moved to the town.
Within a few years, 20,000 immigrants arrived, swelling Springfield’s population, which was only 58,000 in 2020.