During the first presidential debate with Kamala Harris on Tuesday, Donald Trump made a bizarre and false claim about pets being eaten in Springfield, Ohio, leading to a flurry of Simpsons memes on social media. Trump stated, “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.” This claim was immediately debunked by debate moderator David Muir, who cited Springfield Police, saying there were no credible reports of pets being harmed by the immigrant community in the area.
“In Springfield they’re eating the dogs! They’re eating the cats and they’re eating the pets!” pic.twitter.com/QR6FoRBH2u
— PATRIK (@PatrikSandberg) September 11, 2024
The false claim stemmed from a rumour spread by Trump’s running mate, JD Vance, suggesting that Haitian immigrants in Springfield had been abducting pets. However, Springfield’s city manager and police confirmed there was no evidence to support the claim. Trump insisted he had seen stories on TV about pets being eaten, saying, “People on television say, ‘My dog was taken and used for food.’”
Following Trump’s comments, social media users quickly responded with Simpsons references, drawing on the show’s iconic fictional town of Springfield. Memes featured characters such as the family’s dog, Santa’s Little Helper, and cat, Snowball II, ridiculing Trump’s statement.
The Simpsons showrunner, Al Jean, has previously addressed the series’ tendency to appear prophetic, stating that many of the events the show predicts are unfortunately "the norm" rather than rare occurrences.
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