ISD Senior Research Analyst Jared Holt comments to The New Republic about how Trump’s anti-immigrant remarks accusing Haitians of eating pets in Springfield, Ohio, was able to garner so much attention. Similar to other popular narratives, such as the anti-LGBTQ+ “moral” fear that followed Drag Queen Story Hours, right-wing personalities latched onto Trump’s comments and began posting AI pictures of Trump hugging dogs and cats on social media platforms.

It was “picked up by what feels like a pretty familiar cast of characters,” he said: “these conservative influencers that essentially specialize in a form of moral panic.”

Authorities have repeatedly said that there is no credible evidence behind these accusations.