Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio said Thursday that wanting to close the southern border is not racist and called on Democrats to stop calling Trump supporters racist.
Speaking at a rally in Pennsylvania, former President Donald Trump’s running mate admitted he was “fired up” and defended Republicans’ right to speak out.
Vance said he was accused of being racist when he pointed out that there are small towns in Ohio where “criminal organizations sometimes infiltrate our communities and are not safe for the American people.”
He mentions Springfield, Ohio, where he has repeatedly suggested without evidence that Haitian immigrants are eating people’s pets. Springfield’s mayor told Newsweek that the city does not have any reliable evidence to support these claims.
“What really excites me is when Kamala Harris attacks her own people as racists for daring to say we shouldn’t have opened our southern border,” Vance said Thursday.
“Stop trying to catch us criticizing your government,” he added. “Stop calling us racists for saying we have to close the southern border. We have the audacity to tell Kamala Harris she should do her damn job.” So please stop accusing us of being evil.”
Republican Vice Presidential candidate Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) speaks at a campaign event at The Pennsylvanian on Thursday, October 17, 2024 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Vance said he is not racist in wanting to secure the U.S.-Mexico relationship. .. Republican Vice Presidential candidate Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) speaks at a campaign event at The Pennsylvanian on Thursday, October 17, 2024 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Vance said he is not racist in wanting to keep America safe. Mexican border. See more AP photos/Rebecca Droke
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate, also spoke Thursday, saying Vance said in 2016 that voters “don’t really like the racist aspects of President Trump.” I emphasized what I did.
Harris has not explicitly called Vance or Trump racist, but in recent months she has criticized their stance on immigration as “extreme” and “divisive.” Other Democrats, including Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Cori Bush, have called Mr. Trump and Mr. Vance racist.
Newsweek reached out to Harris-Waltz’s campaign for comment via email Friday afternoon.
Vance says attempts to “censor” Trump supporters’ views on illegal immigration and other issues are divisive and will unite the country if Harris and Walz don’t listen to opposing views. He said that promise would fail.
“We will always fight for the right to express our opinions,” the Ohio senator said of the Trump campaign. “The great thing about the First Amendment is that it not only protects the rights of everyone, but also that we actually have a seat at the table when we discuss our ideas, rather than censor each other. This means that even if you disagree, you can still share a meal with each other.” ”
He concluded his remarks by saying that people may not necessarily agree, but “this is America, and we can say whatever we want.”
Vance’s comments came days after President Trump described those who oppose him as the “enemy within” and threatened to use the U.S. military against them.
Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at a rally at the Resch Expo Center on October 17, 2024 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The event was one of three scheduled for Harris… Democratic presidential candidate speaks at a rally at the Resch Expo Center in Green Bay, Wisconsin, October 17, 2024 Vice President Kamala Harris. The event was one of three Harris had scheduled in battleground states for Thursday. Other Scott Olson/Getty Images
Vance has stood by his comments on Springfield and other immigration issues, at one point telling CNN’s Dana Bash that he and Trump have to create a story to get people to listen. I admitted that it didn’t happen.
The Haitian community was put on high alert and warned it would be targeted for violence after Trump and Vance amplified unverified claims that Haitian immigrants were eating people’s pets. City halls, medical facilities, and schools in the area also received bomb threats, resulting in the need for evacuations at multiple locations.
Meanwhile, President Trump has further stepped up his anti-immigrant rhetoric, at one point saying that immigrants “contaminate the blood” of the United States.
A PRRI survey on American Values released last week found that one-third of Americans believe immigrants “taint the blood” of this country, and 60% of white evangelical Protestants share this sentiment. It was shown that they are expressing their support for.
Immigrant advocacy groups frequently raise concerns about Republican immigration and border policies, including stricter rules at the border and mass deportations. A group of Christian leaders said Monday that both sides need to come up with a safe and fair border policy.
Do you have a story that Newsweek should cover? Have questions about this story? Contact us at LiveNews@newsweek.com
