Marianne Williamson denies backing Trump over ‘eating pets’ smear against immigrants after saying ‘voodoo is real’

Some academics argue the term ‘voodoo’ is rooted in anti-Black racism

Marianne Williamson has denied backing Donald Trump’s claim that Haitian immigrants in Ohio are eating people’s pets, after saying the unverified reports should not be dismissed out of hand and that “voodoo is real.”

This week, Trump, JD Vance and other right-wingers have promoted the unfounded conspiracy theory that Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio are eating residents’ cats and dogs.

The theory – which city officials have said there is no evidence for – was even discussed on the debate stage as Trump faced off against Kamala Harris. Debate moderator David Muir pointed out the claim was unfounded, but Trump doubled down.

Former Democratic presidential candidate and self-help author Williamson responded to the uproar by writing on X: “Continuing to dump on Trump because of the ‘eating cats’ issue will create blowback on Nov. 5.

“Haitian voodoo is in fact real, and to dismiss the story out-of-hand rather than listen to the citizens of Springfield. Ohio confirms in the minds of many voters the stereotype of Democrats as smug elite jerks who think they’re too smart to listen to anyone outside their own silo.”

Williamson, a self-help author, previously campaigned for president as a Democrat (AFP via Getty Images)

But Williamson, 71, insisted her comments did not mean she was backing Trump’s claims.

Following a request for comment, she responded to The Independent’s initial story on her tweet by saying: “I absolutely did not give credence to Trump’s claims!”

Linking to a National Geographic article she added: “I said that the practice itself is verifiable (see below), and that automatically dismissing the stories of people in places like small town Ohio are very bad for Democrats and actually helps Trump.”

However, officials in Springfield have said there have been “no credible reports” of cats or dogs being harmed.

Meanwhile, some academics have previously suggested the historical use of the word “voodoo” had racist undertones.

Myths and racist sentiments surrounding “voodoo” lie at the heart of the right-wing conspiracy theory targeting Haitians in Ohio, Dr. Willie Mack, a University of Missouri professor who studies race and immigration, told The Intercept. Voodoo originated from “vodu,” which means spirit or god in the West African language Fon.

Anti-Haitian racism has a deep-rooted history in the United States, dating back centuries. Americans have long been fed images of Haiti as a “voodoo and backwards, uncivilized Black country,” Mack told The Intercept.

Vodou is a religion practiced in Haiti which blends African tribal traditions and theology with European beliefs.

Dr. Danielle Boaz, associate professor of Africana studies at the University of North Carolina, Charlotte, says the term “voodoo” has a “long racist history” and that those who use it are “promoting the idea that religions from Africa are primitive, evil and barbaric.”

“Vodou was frequently labeled as ‘voodoo’ in Anglophone newspapers and other literature in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and devotees were falsely accused of committing atrocities like cannibalism and human sacrifice during their ceremonies,” Boaz wrote for The Conversation.

“Although Vodou has no ultimate source of evil in its cosmology, it is often denounced as devil worship,” Boaz continued. “These myths have led to discrimination and violence against devotees.”

Williamson ran in 2020 and again this cycle. The author suspended her Democratic campaign in February before “unsuspending” it weeks later. Williamson also said she would run against Harris for the Democratic nomination after President Joe Biden dropped out, but ultimately decided against it.

This story was updated on September 12 with Marianne Williamson's comments about her initial tweet