Trump's Contentious Debate Claims Raise Eyebrows

During a heated debate, Republican candidate Donald Trump made various extreme and false claims, including allegations about immigrants eating pets and Democrats supporting infanticide. These assertions were often corrected by moderators and rebuked by the Biden administration. Trump's frequent exaggerations aim to stoke division and fear.

During Tuesday's debate, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump made a series of extreme and false assertions, prompting several corrections from the moderators. Among the most notable was his amplification of a viral and unfounded claim that Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio were consuming local pets and wild animals for food.

Trump described these immigrants as "eating the dogs," while his opponent, Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris, laughed and shook her head. The moderator clarified that no credible reports supported Trump's statements. Trump defended his claims by referring to unspecified TV interviews where people alleged their pets had been taken and eaten.

The Biden White House condemned these remarks earlier in the day, criticizing them as divisive and rooted in racism. Trump repeated various discredited assertions, including that millions of migrants were taking over American towns violently. There have been no verified violent takeovers by migrants. Although some of Harris's claims were challenged by Trump, a Reuters Fact Check identified no major falsehoods on her part.

Trump continued to propagate the falsehood that Democrats favor post-birth infanticide and that Harris's presidency would endanger Israel's existence within two years. Harris refuted these claims, emphasizing her longstanding support for Israel.

Furthermore, Trump inaccurately stated that crime rates were decreasing globally but surging in the United States. According to FBI data, U.S. homicide rates had, in fact, declined by over 13% in 2023.

(With inputs from agencies.)