Ohio Governor Mike DeWine (R) fired back at Democrats today, dismantling the narrative that Republicans were behind the recent turmoil surrounding Haitian migrants in Springfield. After days of bomb threats and school evacuations, all 33 threats were confirmed to be hoaxes, many of them originating from overseas, according to the governor.
In a press briefing, DeWine addressed the fears and confusion caused by the false bomb threats. “We have received 33 separate bomb threats, each one of which has been responded to, and each one has been found to be a hoax,” DeWine said. “I want to make that very, very clear. None of these had any validity at all.”
The threats, which began earlier in the week, led to heightened tensions in Springfield, where schools were evacuated, and local officials urged for a de-escalation of anti-immigrant rhetoric. The city has been a focal point in the ongoing debate over Haitian migrants, particularly after former President Donald Trump and his running mate, Ohio Senator JD Vance, made remarks criticizing the growing number of migrants in the area.
“We know that people are very, very concerned, and we have taken some actions to address that. But let me say this: These hoaxes, these threats have all been hoaxes. None of them have panned out,” DeWine said. “We have people, unfortunately, overseas who are taking these actions. Some of them are coming from one particular country, and they are looking for opportunities to mess with the United States.”
The governor made it clear that the situation was being handled and that additional resources had been moved into Springfield to ensure the safety of the community. “We cannot let the bad guys win,” he stressed. “Our schools must remain open.”
WATCH:
During a rally in Ohio, Trump and Vance raised concerns about the impact of Haitian migrants on local communities, but Democrats quickly seized on the comments, accusing the pair of inciting violence and fear. However, today’s revelation that the bomb threats were foreign-generated hoaxes has shifted the narrative, prompting Republicans to demand accountability from the media and Democrats who promoted the story.
Local officials and law enforcement have been working around the clock to respond to the threats, and with the situation now under control, Republicans are now calling for apologies. Trump and Vance, who have been at the center of the controversy, are pushing back hard. Springfield has become a flashpoint in that debate, with Democrats accusing Republicans of fear-mongering and Republicans accusing Democrats of exaggerating the impact of their rhetoric.
“In Springfield, they’re eating the dogs — the people that came in, they’re eating the cats,” Trump said during the ABC debate last Tuesday. “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.” Reports have emerged of Haitian immigrants allegedly abducting and consuming pets, a narrative spread on social media and further amplified by Trump, Vance, and others.
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