Former President Donald Trump is in hot water for his silence regarding the bomb threats in Springfield, Ohio, that arose over the weekend.
Accompanying this incident was a chilling email threat about a potential shooting at Wittenberg University, prompting evacuations and the cancellation of several events on campus. The university stated: “Wittenberg University is currently taking extreme precautions following an email sent Saturday, Sept. 14, threatening a potential shooting on Sunday, September 15, 2024. This message specifically targeted members of our Haitian community. Wittenberg Police are working closely with local authorities and the FBI to investigate further.”
These threats emerged after Trump made derogatory comments about Haitian immigrants. During a recent debate with Vice President Kamala Harris, he stated, “In Springfield, they’re eating the dogs… This is what’s happening in our country, and it’s a shame.”
When a reporter in Las Vegas asked him about the bomb threats, Trump sidestepped the question, claiming he wasn’t aware of the details and instead shifted the focus to border issues, saying, “I know that it’s been taken over by illegal migrants, and that’s a terrible thing.”
Throughout this interview, Trump emphasized, “The real threat is what’s happening at our border.” However, his lack of condemnation for the threats has drawn ire from various quarters. The @KamalaHQ account on X (formerly Twitter) highlighted his evasive response, while Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy remarked on his platform, “He doesn’t denounce the bomb threats. This is a candidate explicitly running on the promise of political violence.”
Political analyst Sarah Reese Jones echoed similar sentiments, stating, “Trump just condoned the Springfield bomb threats.”
Others pointed out that Haitians began arriving in Springfield in 2018 seeking asylum from violence, and many are not undocumented. A user on X noted, “How hard is it to denounce a bomb threat?!”
Documentary filmmaker Lindsay Beyerstein also chimed in, emphasizing that bomb threats should be condemned regardless of circumstances. Former prosecutor Glenn Kirschner argued that Trump’s remarks endanger entire communities, suggesting that his comments might warrant legal consequences. He stated that anyone on pretrial release who poses a danger should be detained while awaiting trial.