Jen Psaki: ‘Insane’ Haitian Immigrant Conspiracy Proves ‘MAGA’ Is ‘Plain Weird’

CNN host Jen Psaki traced back the origins of the “insane story” consuming MAGA influencers and lawmakers online that Haitian illegal immigrants were kiling and eating pets in Ohio, suggesting that the “totally false and completely xenophobic” talking point was proof that pro-Trump Republicans are just “plain weird.”

The whirlwind around the story on Monday made it to Psaki’s desk for a debunk as the host commended viewers who hadn’t spent their day “perusing right-wing social media.”

She began: “You may have missed the latest and craziest Republican talking point. This is a post from the official account of the House Judiciary Committee. That’s a A.I.-generated image of Trump waiting in a body of water, cuddling a duck and a kitten. The text reads, quote, ‘Protect our ducks and kittens in Ohio.’ You may be wondering, what is happening to ducks and kittens in Ohio and what does Donald Trump have to do with it?”

Ready for her explainer, Psaki warned those watching to “settle in.”

Tracing the story back to a Facebook post on a group called ‘Springfield, Ohio, Crime and Information,’ the host explained how the conspiracy theory, being leveraged against Vice President Kamala Harris as an anti-immigration line of attack, was propelled into mainstream as it worked its way up through the conservative social media sphere to the Trump campaign – who pushed out an email yesterday to reporters citing the claims.

Psaki continued: “That insane story spread like wildfire thanks to posts like this one from Senator Ted Cruz (T-TX), who shared this image of two kittens saying please vote for Trump so Hatian immigrants don’t eat us. Elon Musk shared this screengrab of Bart and Lisa Simpson mourning their cat with the caption, ‘Ohio right now.’ Of course, Republican vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance piled on accusing, quote, ‘Haitian illegal immigrants of causing chaos all over Springfield, Ohio.’ Now, eventually, the conspiracy made its way all the way to the official Trump campaign account.

She added: “If my tone hasn’t made this clear, this is a complete lie. Don’t take it from me. This is a statement given to NBC news from the Springfield police force. ‘There have been no credible reports or specific claims of pets being harmed, injured, or abused by individuals within the immigrant community.’ The Springfield PD noted that 175 miles away from there, there was reportedly a bizarre incident of one woman who was charged with cruelty to companion animals for allegedly killing and eating a cat. There is no evidence she is an immigrant and she is now living in Springfield and that crazy story hardly warrants a claim that Vice President Harris and immigrants are out to kill your pets.”

Concluding, Psaki said: “Not only is this right-wing conspiracy theory totally false and completely xenophobic but it’s not helping the perception out there that J.D. Vance, Donald Trump, and the rest of their party are plain weird.”

Watch above on CNN.