Donald Trump is safe following what law enforcement is describing as another assassination attempt on the former president.

"The FBI has responded to West Palm Beach Florida and is investigating what appears to be an attempted assassination of former President Trump," the FBI said in a statement to Scripps News.

A source familiar with the matter told Scripps News that Secret Service agents engaged with a suspect armed with a "long gun" outside the grounds of Trump International Golf Club.

According to the Associated Press, authorities have identified the person taken into custody as Ryan Wesley Routh.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sheriff Keith Pearson (@sheriffkeithpearson)

RELATED STORY | FBI unable to identify a motive in Trump assassination attempt

During a Sunday afternoon press conference, Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said the individual got into an SUV and fled before he was located nearby and taken into custody. The sheriff added that an AK-47-style rifle with a scope was recovered near the golf club.

Earlier in the day, the Trump campaign had said the former president was safe after shots were fired in his vicinity.

"Nothing will slow me down. I will NEVER SURRENDER," Trump had said in a statement.

He later spoke out about the incident on Truth Social.

"I would like to thank everyone for your concern and well wishes it was certainly an interesting day!" Trump wrote. "Most importantly, I want to thank the U.S. Secret Service, Sheriff Ric Bradshaw and his office of brave and dedicated patriots, and, all of law enforcement, for the incredible job done today at Trump International in keeping me, as the 45th President of the United States, and the Republican nominee in the upcoming Presidential Election, SAFE. THE JOB DONE WAS ABSOLUTELY OUTSTANDING. I AM VERY PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN!"

Trump running mate JD Vance said in a statement that he "spoke to him before the news was public" and said Trump was "amazingly, in good spirits."

"The Secret Service did exactly what they should have done. They provided exactly what the protection should have been and their agent did a fantastic job," said Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw.

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The person apprehended is scheduled to make a court appearance Monday morning. The White House said both President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were briefed on the incident and were "relieved" to hear that Trump is safe.

"I commend the work of the Secret Service and their law enforcement partners for their vigilance and their efforts to keep the former President and those around him safe," President Biden said in a statement. "I am relieved that the former President is unharmed. There is an active investigation into this incident as law enforcement gathers more details about what happened. As I have said many times, there is no place for political violence or for any violence ever in our country, and I have directed my team to continue to ensure that Secret Service has every resource, capability and protective measure necessary to ensure the former Presidents continued safety."

This comes just two months after former President Trump was wounded in an attempted assassination at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, that left one rallygoer dead and two other attendees injured.

Republican vice presidential candidate Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) doubled down on a false claim that Haitian migrants in Springfield, Ohio, are eating residents' pets during an interview Sunday morning on CNN's "State of the Union."

The claim, spread primarily by Vance and made more viral by former President Donald Trump during Tuesday's presidential debate, has been repeatedly debunked by Springfield's city officials and police.

"My constituents have brought approximately a dozen separate concerns to me. Ten of them are verifiable and confirmable and a couple of them I talk about because my constituents are telling me firsthand that they're seeing these things," Vance said during an interview with CNN's Dana Bash. "I could ignore them, which is what the American media has done for years to this community, or I can actually talk about what people are telling me. And of course, many of the things that the media says are completely baseless have since been confirmed. For example, I was told, Dana, by the American media that it was baseless, that migrants were capturing the geese from the local park pond and eating them. And yet there are 9-1-1 calls from well before this ever became a viral sensation of people complaining about that exact thing happening."

RELATED STORY | Trump amplifies false claim about migrants eating pets during debate

The conspiracy theory's origins on social media have also been linked to a Sept. 6 Facebook post that was later shared on X in which someone claimed their neighbor's daughter's friend's cat was seen at a house "where Haitians live," hanging from a tree and about to be eaten.

Per Scripps News' partner Politifact, the Facebook post was flagged as an unfounded claim by Meta, which is working to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed.

One of the people whose social media post reportedly contributed to the rumor storm told NBC News on Saturday that it "exploded into something" that she didnt mean to happen.

RELATED STORY | Father of Ohio boy asks Trump not to invoke his son's death in immigration debate

The continued demonization of Haitian immigrants in the small Ohio town has created a firestorm. Its city hall, hospitals and schools had to close due to recent bomb threats.

"It is disappointing that some of the narrative surrounding our city has been skewed by misinformation circulated on social media and further amplified by political rhetoric in a current highly charged presidential election cycle," Springfield City Manager Bryan Heck said on Wednesday.

A scuffle between members of the groundbreaking alternative rock band Jane's Addiction came amid "tension and animosity" during their reunion tour, lead singer Perry Farrell's wife said Saturday.

The band is known for edgy, punk-inspired hits "Been Caught Stealing" and "Mountain Song" in the late 1980s and early 1990s as the alternative rock and grunge music movements were growing.

In videos posted on social media from Friday night's concert in Boston, Farrell, 65, is seen singing loudly into his mic and then lunging at guitarist Dave Navarro, bumping Navarro with his shoulder before taking a swing at Navarro with his right arm. Navarro is seen holding his right arm out to keep Farrell away before Farrell is dragged away by others on stage. The show ended shortly after.

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"Perry's frustration had been mounting, night after night, he felt that the stage volume had been extremely loud and his voice was being drowned out by the band," Etty Lau Farrell wrote in an Instagram post Saturday morning.

She said her husband had been suffering from tinnitus and a sore throat and "by the end of the song, he wasn't singing, he was screaming just to be heard." She said her husband later broke down "and cried and cried."

The band posted a statement to its Instagram story following the incident, saying in part, "We want to extend a heartfelt apology to our fans for the events that unfolded last night."

The statement also said they'd be canceling Sunday night's show in Bridgeport and refunds would be issued."

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The band's "Imminent Redemption" tour started in early August and has 15 dates left, including a show in Connecticut on Sunday night.

The band has not yet made a statement about the future of the tour.

The brand Red Toolbox has issued a recall of around 459,000 Stanley-branded Jr. kids garden sets after the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission says that paint used to make the tools exceeds federal lead limits. An additional 60,480 sets were recalled in Canada.

The gardening tools for children have been sold exclusively at Costco Wholesale stores, and federal health officials say they pose a serious health hazard.

The kits come with a wheelbarrow and at least seven gardening tools.

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This recall is for parts of the kit that include a long hoe and rake and a wheelbarrow with other items in the kit.

The kit also contains an apron, gloves and hand tools.

The wheelbarrow has a white label with Red Toolbox and the manufacturing date in December of last year.

The recalled hoe and rake have a yellow painted long wooden handle with Stanley Jr. painted in black. The hoe and rake are black painted metal.

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The long hoe and the rake included in the set were originally the focus of the recall.

Customers are asked to stop using the items immediately and return them to the point of sale for a refund. More information on the recall can be found on the CPSC website.

On this edition of The Race Weekend, moderator Joe. St. George talks with former Ohio Congressman Tim Ryan about how Democrats can appeal to Midwest voters, the upcoming vice presidential debate, and the gender divide in American politics. St. George also speaks with Politicos California Bureau Chief Christopher Cadelago about reporting from inside the Harris campaign. Plus, veteran GOP Strategist Craig Peterson joins the show to discuss his work with the Haley for Harris group in Wisconsin. National Correspondent Liz Landers sits down for an interview with former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer about his USAFacts initiative while St. Georges Campaign Confidential looks at why it is so important to register to vote. All this while Politico Data and Finance Reporter Jessica Piper joins Scripps News Senior National Correspondent Charles Benson, Political Analyst Steve Schmidt and Liz Landers for our Inside the Race Panel

A pizzeria in Manhattan's Lower East Side neighborhood has taken away top prize by an Italian group that judges where in the world is making the best pizza.

Una Pizza Napoletana took home the top prize, beating out competitors in New York and in Naples, Italy, where the style of pizza originated.

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A short list of other eateries in New York made the list. Italy dominated with over 40 of its restaurants on the list.

Una's owner said the key to their special wood fire pizzas is the naturally leavened and highly hydrated dough that the restaurant uses.

Authorities have released audio records of the response to the Apalachee High School shooting in Winders, Georgia on September 4.

The released materials include audio from 911 calls and first responder radio traffic. In them, police and medical personnel respond to the call of an active shooter, announce that they have the shooter in custody and coordinate the extraction of injured victims. Responders can be heard calling for ambulances and sweeping room to room to identify victims and people who were sheltering in place.

In 911 calls, residents are heard asking for information about reports of a shooter at the school and asking for information about reuniting with evacuated students and staff. Some callers reported threats on social media about a possible shooting at a vigil following the initial incident.

RELATED STORY | Authorities say suspected Georgia school shooter hid gun in backpack, left class before rampage

An update posted online Thursday morning from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said that the gun used in the attack "could not be broken down," but that the suspected shooter a 14-year-old student hid the assault-style rifle in his backpack. Investigators added that the shooter was given permission to leave class shortly before he opened fire.

The 14-year-old faces four counts of felony murder in connection with the rampage that left four people dead and nine others injured. Authorities said additional charges are forthcoming and that the teen will be tried as an adult. If convicted, he faces up to life in prison.

Meanwhile, the boy's father, Colin Gray, has also been arrested and charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder and eight counts of cruelty to children. Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey said the charges stem from the father "knowingly allowing his son ... to possess a weapon."

After the company SpaceX successfully lifted off Earth taking a civilian crew into space, it seems we're getting closer to space tourism becoming more of a reality.

While pricing for a seat on a craft into space is unclear, it is likely to only be available to the wealthy for some time.

Craig Curran is the president of the DePrez Group of Travel Companies, and he says the question of when space tourism might be available to the average person is a big one.

Curran says some companies, like Axiom Space which sell missions to the International Space Station have been selling trips to space for between $50 million to $70 million.

He says SpaceX is "developing their own orbital options now" and the company Blue Origin who claim to be able to offer "a window seat on a life-changing spaceflight" are doing suborbital space flights which customers can book right now.

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Curran says that while some of these companies are private like Blue Origin and don't release their pricing, it has been rumored to cost between $1 million and $1.5 million for a flight.

According to market research from Polaris, over $848 million was generated from space tourism in 2023.

"Virgin Galactic, which started its journey to space travel in 2004, expects to have its Delta class spaceships flying in 2026 now, they've already done seven missions," Curran said.

Trips are "rumored to be at around $600,000 a seat," he told Scripps News. But he said they aren't yet officially on sale.

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Curran says there is also another option called Space Perspective, which is a balloon that goes up about 100,000 feet toward space. It's a six-hour journey that takes two hours to get into apogee, with two hours floating there and two hours to get back down to Earth's surface.

Curran says the company is doing test flights of the balloons and the industry expects flights to be on sale by 2025 and to sell for over $100,000 each.

And for an even more affordable option to experience the conditions of space, the company Zero-G offers flights in a modified Boeing 727 and while passengers won't go into space, they will be able to experience the feeling of weightlessness on these flights. Those seats go for about $9,000 each, Curran said.

Former President Donald Trump described Laura Loomer as a "supporter" when pressed about his relationship with the controversial right-wing activist.

"She speaks very positively of the campaign," the Republican nominee for president said. "Laura has to say what she wants. She's a free spirit."

Loomer, who has called the 9/11 terrorist attacks an "inside job," joined Trump at a ceremony in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, to honor the lives lost 23 years ago.

RELATED LINK | Trump says he will not participate in another debate with Harris

During a press conference in Southern California on Friday, Trump said he wasn't familiar with Loomer's past remarks.

"I don't even know what she said, but I'll go take a look and put out a statement later on," Trump said.

In addition to facing criticism from Democrats, Republicans have also been vocal about Loomer's association with Trump.

North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis called Loomer a "crazy conspiracy theorist" who divides Republicans.

"A DNC plant couldn't do a better job than she is doing to hurt President Trump's chances of winning re-election," the Republican said on X.

RELATED STORY | Previously undecided voter tells Scripps News why she's now voting for Trump after the debate

Marjorie Taylor Greene, who is no stranger to controversy, made a similar comment on the steps of the Capitol on Thursday.

"Her rhetoric, her tone, does not match the base, does not match MAGA, does not match most Republicans I know, and I'm completely denouncing it," she said.

Loomer told The Associated Press that she was invited by the campaign to attend the 9/11 event with Trump. It was not the first time she had been seen on Trump's plane. She also attended last week's debate with the former president.

A chain of vegan restaurants owned by actor Kevin Hart suddenly closed this week just two years after its opening.

Hart House had four California locations and featured what appeared to be a normal fast food menu, but with a vegan spin. The Hart House had plant-based burgers, chicken sandwiches and shakes to go with fries, tots and salads.

"I founded Hart House to create a good experience that combines the joy of coming together over food, with the power of purpose," Hart said. "Our amazing chefs and team members have crafted a 100% plant-based menu that delivers 'can't-believe-it' flavor in every bite. I know you're going to love it."

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On Wednesday, the company posted a "thank you" on its Instagram page.

"Thank you to our team, guests, and community, who helped make the change we all craved," the post said. "A Hartfelt goodbye for now as we start a new chapter."

Hart House was not subject to the state of California's $20 minimum wage for fast food workers. The rule only applies to chains with at least 60 national units.

"Restaurants need to be assessing their labor value in completely new ways," Hart House CEO Andy Hooper said earlier this year. "We have to start looking at the same kind of 'Moneyball' strategies that have worked in other industries to make the most out of our available talent. Humans are the most important part of running a quality restaurant, and we need to access and activate as much data as possible to put our people in the best position to succeed. We all win together when our data is effectively aligning our employee and business outcomes."

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Residents along Louisiana's Gulf Coast are recovering from the impact of Francine, which made landfall in the state as a Category 2 hurricane.

The hurricane packed wind gusts up to 100 miles per hour and heavy rain as it came ashore and quickly moved toward New Orleans, pounding the city with torrential rains overnight.

Nearly 400,000 are without power in Louisiana as of Thursday morning, according to PowerOutage.us.

Francine has now downgraded to a tropical depression as it moves inland, and will continue to weaken as it heads over Mississippi and other states.

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Over the next several hours, there is risk of life-threatening storm surge for parts of the eastern Louisiana and Mississippi coastlines, where a Storm Surge Warning remains in effect, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Francine will continue to bring heavy rainfall and dangerous flooding across portions of the Lower Mississippi Valley, Tennessee Valley, and the Southeast, NHC said.

Considerable flash and urban flooding is also possible through the evening over portions of central and northern Alabama and the Florida Panhandle.

Officials are imposing overnight curfews in some areas, with emergency vehicles and personnel exempt.

Residents are urged to follow local guidance.

RELATED STORY | Francine makes landfall in Louisiana as a Category 2 hurricane

Specialty meat company Boar's Head is facing more troubles following a significant listeria outbreak that caused deaths and hospitalizations across a list of states stemming from contaminated deli meat.

A Boar's Head plant is said to have continued processing meat for at least two years, even as a public health threat continued, according to food safety authorities.

At least 9 people died and 57 were hospitalized across 18 states after a deli meat contamination outbreak linked to Boar's Head meat sickened customers.

RELATED STORY | Boar's Head plant linked to deadly outbreak broke food safety rules dozens of times, records show

Jerold Mande is the CEO at Nourish Science. Mande told Scripps News the plant lacked a culture of safety protocols, calling it "deeply troubling."

"Boar's Head has a long history and reputation so, how did they allow one of their plants not to have a better culture of safety?" Mande said.

The threat found years before this latest outbreak was described as "imminent," and has been linked to the plant located in Jarratt, Va.

Investigators said mold, insects and meat residue were found.

RELATED STORY | 6 more people die in Listeria outbreak linked to Boar's Head deli meat

Mande said the ready-to-eat nature of the product makes it especially susceptible to contamination, and the pathogen listeria is particularly worrisome.

Mande describes listeria as a "very tough character to deal with, in part because it survives cold well."

He said, "so, for a lot of bacteria we're dealing with when you keep it in the refrigerator it keeps the growth of the bacteria down that's not happening here because listeria grows just fine when it's refrigerated."

A Pakistani man with ties to Iran faces a new terrorism charge after he allegedly plotted to assassinate an American government official or politician.

The U.S. Department of Justice unveiled the new charge Wednesday against Asif Raza Merchant, 46, who was previously arrested and charged in a foiled murder-for-hire scheme.

The DOJ claims Merchant after spending time in Iran arrived in the U.S. by way of Pakistan in April and contacted someone who he believed could aid him in pulling off the assassination plot. However, that person immediately reported Merchant's plan to authorities and became an informant.

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In early June, the DOJ alleges, Merchant met with the informant in New York and asked them to begin arranging meetings with individuals who Merchant could hire to carry out a killing. That's when Merchant allegedly told the informant that his target would have "security all around" them.

Later that month, Merchant met with who he thought were hitmen, but they were actually undercover law enforcement officers.

The DOJ says Merchant then told the undercover officers that he needed them to steal documents, organize protests, and kill a "political person" who he would name at the end of August or early September after he had already left the U.S. Then on June 21, Merchant allegedly met with the purported hitmen one last time in New York and paid them $5,000 in advance for the assassination.

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The DOJ said Merchant made flight arrangements to leave the U.S. on July 12, at which point law enforcement agents placed him under arrest. It remains unclear who Merchant was targeting to have killed. If convicted, he faces up to life in prison.

FBI Director Christopher Wray said the foiled assassination plot was something "straight out of the Iranian regime's playbook."

A foreign-directed plot to kill a public official, or any U.S. citizen, is a serious threat to our national security and will be met with the full might and resources of the FBI," Wray said in a statement. "Protecting Americans from terrorists remains our highest priority."

Twenty-three years after 9/11, the U.S. remembers when more than 3,000 lives were lost on that day during the attacks in New York, Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania. It's the deadliest attack on U.S. soil in the country's history.

Terry Strada, the National Chair for 9/11 Families United, lost her husband Tom on that day and says she has been fighting to get more information about the attacks and what entities set up the support network for the 19 hijackers to carry them out.

"No, we are not getting all of the information," Strada said.

RELATED STORY | US commemorates 9/11 victims and heroes 23 years after tragic day

She says her group is fighting to get the FBI to "cooperate" in allowing what began as a judge's order to release more information about what role the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia had in the attacks.

Strada calls what the FBI is doing in trying to withhold some of the information that her group is fighting to release "a dangerous game" and a violation of an element of the First Amendment related to the right to access.

"There's so much at risk here if we don't teach the truth. It is our best weapon against history repeating itself," Strada said.

Angel Studios is known for their Christian-themed films like "The Sound of Freedom."

Actor Neal McDonough, who is known for his role in the hit series "Yellowstone," is also working with Angel Studios in his new role in the post-apocalyptic survival-themed film "Homestead."

McDonough told Scripps News the stories he is focusing on are those of humans working to create community in intense and chaotic situations.

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The actor says the projects Angel Studios is releasing are meant to create an atmosphere in which the entire family can gather around and watch these films together even with the "edgy" parts of movies like "Homestead" and other TV series.

"I love pushing the boundaries a little bit," McDonough said. "Sometimes I play horribly villainous types of characters."

McDonough will also star opposite Sylvester Stallone in Season 2 of "Tulsa King."

It appears Justin Timberlake is looking to avoid a drawn-out legal battle after his arrest for driving while intoxicated in New York.

The Suffolk County District Attorney's Office confirmed to Court TV that the "Cry Me a River" singer will be in court on Friday for a previously scheduled hearing.

"The Suffolk County District Attorneys Office anticipates Mr. Timberlake will enter a plea," the district attorney's office said in a statement.

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Timberlake was arrested in Sag Harbor, New York, in June. Police said the pop star was pulled over after failing to stop at a stop sign and failing to maintain his lane.

"Upon investigation, it was determined that Mr. Timberlake was operating his vehicle in an intoxicated condition," the police department said in a press release after the arrest.

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A police report indicated that an officer observed Timberlake with bloodshot eyes and slurred speech, and that he had trouble standing. Police added there was a "strong odor of an alcoholic beverage" emanating from his breath and that he "performed poorly" on all standardized field sobriety tests.

Timberlake previously pleaded not guilty, and his lawyer asserted in court the singer was not intoxicated and "should not have been arrested for DWI.

The 43-year-old is currently in the middle of his Forget Tomorrow World Tour. His next concert date is Sept. 28 in New Jersey.

The U.S. Men's National Team named Argentina's Mauricio Pochettino as its new head coach as the squad begins gearing up for the 2026 World Cup, which the U.S. will host.

He arguably has the best resume of any USMNT coach, as he had past stops with Tottenham Hotspur, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea. Despite a 26-11-14 tenure with Chelsea in 2023-24, he and Chelsea parted ways earlier this year.

He replaces Gregg Berhalter after the U.S. failed to exit group play in this year's Copa America tournament.

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"The decision to join U.S. Soccer wasnt just about football for me; its about the journey that this team and this country are on," Pochettino said. "The energy, the passion, and the hunger to achieve something truly historic here those are the things that inspired me. The opportunity to lead the U.S. Mens National Team, in front of fans who are just as passionate as the players, is something I couldnt pass up. I see a group of players full of talent and potential, and together, were going to build something special that the whole nation can be proud of."

Pochettino was selected to lead the national team despite having never played or coached for a U.S. team.

U.S. Soccer Federation said Pochettino is "known for the ability to manage and motivate high-profile players and his dedication to developing young talent." The U.S. is hopeful to build a solid core around young players such as Brenden Aaronson, Yunus Musah, and Joe Scally to play with soon-to-be 26-year-old Christian Pulisic and 24-year-old Josh Sargent.

"Mauricio is a world-class coach with a proven track record of developing players and achieving success at the highest levels," said U.S. Soccer President Cindy Parlow Cone. "His passion for the game, his innovative approach to coaching, and his ability to inspire and connect with players make him the perfect fit for this role. We are excited to have him leading our Men's National Team."

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Because it's hosting the World Cup, the U.S. will not have to go through the qualification process. That could allow more time for Pochettino to try out different rosters and combinations in the two years ahead of the 2026 tournament.

Hurricane Francine is expected to strike the Louisiana coast on Wednesday as the National Hurricane Center warns the storm will have "life-threatening" hurricane-force winds and storm surge at landfall.

Hurricane warnings are in place along the Louisiana coast, extending from Vermilion/Cameron Line eastward to Grand Isle. A hurricane watch is in effect for Lake Maurepas and Lake Pontchartrain, including the metropolitan New Orleans area. Parts of the Louisiana coast could get between 5-10 feet of storm surge inundation around landfall.

RELATED STORY | What is the difference between a tropical storm and hurricane?

As of 10 a.m. CT Wednesday, Francine's top sustained winds were 90 mph, with higher gusts. The hurricane has been churning over the last few days in the Gulf of Mexico as it drifts north toward Louisiana. The National Hurricane Center projects a little bit of strengthening before landfall, as it is projected to come ashore as a strong Category 1 hurricane.

The winds could damage the state's power grid. Kathryn Bowman of the Louisiana Public Service Commission said the state has 7,500 additional crew members ready to respond to the store.

Ahead of Francine's landfall, Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry declared a state of emergency and asked President Joe Biden to declare the hurricane a federal disaster.

After declaring a State of Emergency, we have now determined that this storm is of such severity that an effective response is beyond the capabilities of the state and local governments. This federal assistance is needed to save lives and property, and I look forward to President Biden quickly approving this request, said Landry.

Landry has also urged those in evacuation zones to seek higher ground before the storm's landfall.

Once Francine makes landfall, its storm surge and winds are expected to subside, but heavy rain could extend far inland.

RELATED STORY | New tools help better predict storms and alert the public for hurricane season

"Francine is expected to bring heavy rainfall and the risk of considerable flash and urban flooding across southeastern Louisiana, Mississippi, far southern Alabama and northern Florida through Thursday night. Flash and urban flooding is probable across the Lower Tennessee Valley and Lower Mississippi Valley Wednesday night into Friday morning," wrote Brad Reinhart, National Hurricane Center senior hurricane specialist.

Former President Donald Trump during his Tuesday debate against Vice President Kamala Harris amplified a false claim that migrants are eating pets in Springfield, Ohio, despite local officials saying there's no evidence to back the claim.

In answering a question about immigration, Trump mentioned Springfield and Aurora, Colorado, claiming local leaders aren't vocal about apparent migrant problems, including what he claimed were immigrants abducting and eating pets.

"A lot of towns don't want to talk about it because they're so embarrassed by it. In Springfield, they're eating the dogs. The people that came in, they're eating the cats," Trump said. "They're eating the pets of the people that live there, and this is what's happening in our country, and it's a shame."

ABC News debate moderator David Muir then said Springfield's city manager had debunked the claims, saying there have been "no credible reports or claims of pets being harmed, injured or abused by individuals within the immigrant community. Trump then replied, "We'll find out," before Harris said, "Talk about extreme," and laughed at her competitor's comments.

RELATED STORY | Scripps News fact-checks the Trump-Harris presidential debate

The former president's remarks echo an allegation his vice presidential pick, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, pushed in a post on X, saying his office "received many inquiries" from Springfield residents who have said their pets were "abducted by Haitian migrants." Vance also said in the post that it's "possible, of course, that all of these rumors will turn out to be false," before claiming, among other statements, that Haitian migrants have caused diseases like tuberculosis and HIV to rise.

While some on social media cited the rumors as racist, others, including Trump's Republican allies, helped them gain viral attention. For example, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz posted a photo of kittens with the caption, "Please vote for Trump so Haitian immigrants don't eat us."

But the conspiracy theory's presence on social media has also been linked to a Sept. 6 Facebook post that was later shared on X in which someone claimed their neighbor's daughter's friend's cat was seen at a house "where Haitians live," hanging from a tree and about to be eaten. The post's author said immigrants were doing the same to dogs, ducks and geese and included a photo of a Black man apparently carrying a dead goose by its feet.

Per Scripps News' partner Politifact, the Facebook post was flagged as an unfounded claim by Meta, which is working to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed.

Still, Trump followed his supporters' social media posts on the claims with two of his own. Hours before the debate, one AI-generated photo he shared on Truth Social showed himself surrounded by cats and geese on his plane and another featuring a cat wearing a MAGA hat and holding a gun.

RELATED STORY | Harris, Trump clash on the economy, abortion, immigration in fiery debate

In addition to Heck's comment about the rumors, Springfield police told the Springfield News-Sun on Monday that they have received no reports related to the claim of abducted or eaten pets. Ohio Republican Gov. Mike DeWine did not comment on the allegations during a press conference Tuesday.

While it's true the Haitian immigrant population has grown in Springfield in recent years, the city has said about 15,000 Haitians live there under federal protection temporarily. The city also says the immigrants work in various industries there "that are in great need of workers" or have opened their own businesses.

The Trump camp's rhetoric surrounding the Haitian immigrant population there, however, has reignited debate within the city. At various city commission meetings there, some residents have claimed to have seen Haitian immigrants abusing animals, though they haven't provided evidence. At another meeting, the father of an 11-year-old Ohio boy who was killed last year when a Haitian immigrant struck him with his minivan said Republicans like Trump and Vance were "morally bankrupt politicians" using his son's death as a political tool.

Additional reporting from our fact-checking partner PolitiFact.