In a Stunning Admission, J.D. Vance Acknowledges "Creat[ing] Stories" That Fueled Hate in Ohio

By spreading lies about Haitian immigrants, Vance has unleashed a wave of fear, prompting threats and escalating tensions in an already vulnerable Ohio community.

It’s not every day that a political figure openly admits to fabricating stories to get media attention. But that’s precisely what Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance did during a Sunday appearance on CNN’s State of the Union. Vance acknowledged that he “create[d] stories” about Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, supposedly stealing and eating people’s pets. “If I have to create stories so that the American media actually pays attention to the suffering of the American people, then that’s what I’m going to do,” Vance said.

DANA BASH, HOST, STATE OF THE UNION: Just once and for all, you again started this in part by saying that —which Donald Trump repeated on the debate stage—and he didn't say anything about the policies that you're talking about. He just said Haitians are eating dogs and cats. Can you affirmatively say now that that is a rumor that has no basis with evidence?

SEN. JD VANCE: Dana, the evidence is the first-hand account of my constituents who are telling me that this happened. And by the way, I've been trying to talk about the problems in Springfield for months, and the American media ignored it. There was a congressional hearing just last week of angel moms who lost children because Kamala Harris let criminal migrants into this country who then murdered their children. The American media totally ignored this stuff until Donald Trump and I started talking about cat memes.

BASH: But it wasn’t just a meme, sir.

VANCE: If I have to create stories so that the American media actually pays attention to the suffering of the American people, then that's what I'm going to do, Dana, because you guys are completely letting Kamala Harris coast. You had one interview with her. You talk about pushing back against me, Dana. You didn't push back against the fact that she cast the deciding vote on the Inflation Reduction Act, which is why a lot of Americans can't afford food and housing. We ought to be talking about public policy.

BASH: You just said that you're creating a story.

VANCE: What's that, Dana?

BASH: You just said that this is a story that you created.

VANCE: Yes.

BASH: So the eating dogs and cats thing is not accurate.

VANCE: We are creating—we are, Dana, it comes from first-hand accounts from my constituents. I say that we're creating a story, meaning we're creating the American media focusing on it. I didn't create 20,000 illegal migrants coming into Springfield thanks to Kamala Harris's policies. Her policies did that, but yes, we created the actual focus that allowed the American media to talk about this story and the suffering caused by Kamala Harris's policies.

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This isn’t just reckless political theater. It’s a dangerous tactic that bears the hallmarks of fascist propaganda. Vance isn’t simply stretching the truth or engaging in hyperbole to score points with voters. He’s admitting, proudly, that he’s willing to lie in ways that actively harm immigrant communities and incite fear and violence. And we’ve seen the effects already.

Since Vance’s story began circulating, Springfield has become ground zero for a wave of hate-fueled chaos. Bomb threats have been called into local schools, city hall, and hospitals, and the Ku Klux Klan is reportedly distributing flyers demanding that immigrants leave town.

When a Lie Becomes a Bomb Threat: The Fallout of a Racist Conspiracy in Springfield

This is what happens when hateful lies are amplified by powerful people, especially when the lies tap into deep-seated fears and prejudices. It’s reminiscent of the pattern seen with anti-trans rhetoric, where wild, unfounded accusations about “grooming” have led to violent threats against LGBTQ communities. In both cases, marginalized groups are turned into scapegoats for broader social and political anxieties, and the real-world fallout is devastating.

Vance’s admission is not just an isolated incident of bad behavior. It’s a calculated use of lies to inflame a volatile political situation. This is precisely the kind of tactic Hannah Arendt warned about in The Origins of Totalitarianism: “Mass propaganda discovered that its audience was ready at all times to believe the worst, no matter how absurd.” Vance’s lies fit this mold perfectly. The more outrageous and grotesque the claim — that Haitian immigrants are stealing pets for food — the more effectively it captures attention and stokes fear.

But here’s the thing: it doesn’t matter that Vance’s claims were quickly debunked. Springfield’s police department confirmed that there have been zero reports of pets being stolen or eaten. It doesn’t matter. The lie is already out there, and it’s doing its intended damage. This is a textbook example of how misinformation spreads and leads to real-world harm.

Vance’s fabrication is part of a broader pattern of right-wing politicians using misinformation as a political weapon. Just two years ago, Republicans were circulating the bizarre, completely false claim that schools were installing litter boxes in bathrooms for students who identified as cats. That lie, too, spread like wildfire, despite being thoroughly debunked.

These kinds of stories aren’t just silly or outlandish — they’re dangerous. They target specific communities, stoke fear and hatred, and lead to real-world violence. As we saw with the false claims about trans youth being subjected to surgeries without parental consent, these lies serve a political purpose, even after they’ve been debunked. They plant seeds of doubt, stir up fear, and shift the conversation away from real issues.

Eating Pets and Other Lies: How the Haitian Migrant Hoax Exposes Flaws in Political Reporting

As I’ve written before, the consequences of Vance’s lies should be a permanent stain on his political career. These are not just gaffes or exaggerations. This is propaganda that is putting real people in danger. The media and voters need to take note: JD Vance has shown us exactly who he is, and we should believe him.