The mayor of Springfield, Ohio, said a visit to the region by Donald Trump would be an “extreme strain” on the city’s resources, and he would be “fine” if the former president decided not to come.
Springfield has become a nationwide name after Trump’s running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance (R), spread lies that the city’s Haitian immigrants were eating residents’ pets. Trump has shared those falsehoods in recent days, including on the debate stage against Vice President Kamala Harris.
The former president was reported to be planning to visit the city “soon,” although it’s unclear if those efforts have firmed up in recent days.
“It would be an extreme strain on our resources,” Mayor Rob Rue said during a news conference on Tuesday, per NBC. “So it’d be fine with me if they decided not to make that visit.”
Local officials have soundly debunked the claims, and Rue said last week such rhetoric was hurting citizens and the community.
