Flavor Flav jokes after Trump’s false claim on immigrants eating pets at debate

During the Sept. 10 U.S. presidential debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, former president Trump made a shocking claim that immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, were eating pets, a statement that sparked widespread reactions. Trump, from the debate podium, alleged, "In Springfield, they’re eating the dogs. The people that came in, they’re eating the cats. They’re eating the pets of people that live there. And this is what’s happening in our country and it’s a shame."

The claim was quickly fact-checked by moderator David Muir. During the debate, Muir noted that ABC News had reached out to the city manager of Springfield, who denied the allegation. "He told us there have been no credible reports of specific claims of pets being harmed, injured or abused by individuals within the immigrant community," Muir stated. Despite the correction, Trump doubled down, asserting, "People on television say my dog was taken and used as food."

The statement immediately drew backlash and jokes from celebrities and social media users. Flavor Flav stirred up the conversation when he humorously warned certain dog-related musicians on X (formerly Twitter), writing, "Pet Shop Boys better stay inside and lock the doors. You too Snoop Dogg. And Pitbull."

Elon Musk joined in with a tongue-in-cheek post, sharing an image of Snowball's tombstone from The Simpsons, with the caption "Ohio rn." Family Guy producer Gary Janetti expressed his disbelief, tweeting, "I’m still stuck on ‘eating the dogs and the cats and the pets.’ Can we go back to that?" Bravo’s Andy Cohen added, "Is this old man talking about people eating cats? What is happening?"

Meanwhile, others praised Muir for swiftly correcting Trump’s false statement. Katie Couric tweeted, "Thank you @DavidMuir on the crazy dog story," highlighting the importance of fact-checking during the debate. Influencer Manny MUA summed up the chaotic moment with his reaction: "I am cryinggggg!"

As the conversation continues to make waves online, the debate over misinformation ahead of the 2024 election grows increasingly relevant.