Washington, D.C. — Following former President Donald Trump and Sen. JD Vance’s perpetuation of a baseless conspiracy theory about the Haitian American community in Ohio, schools and government offices in Springfield, Ohio, were evacuated today. In response, Patrick Gaspard, president and CEO of the Center for American Progress Action Fund, issued the following statement:
Time and time again, Donald Trump has shown he is willing to incite violence in pursuit of power.
On this week’s debate stage, it was the Haitian community. During the COVID-19 crisis, it was Chinese Americans. And on January 6, it was his own vice president, members of Congress, and American democracy itself. Who will be next? When Donald Trump speaks, we are all less safe. This week’s accusation can only be seen as a sign of weakness from a former president, running scared from his own record and Project 2025 agenda. But his lie has real consequences.
My heart goes out to every member of the Haitian community, Springfield school child, and government employee who is living under the threat of violence today because of Donald Trump and JD Vance. You and this country deserve better. Trump has again shown the depths of his depravity.
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