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Tim Walz rally crowd trolls Trump with chants of ‘we don’t eat cats’

Minnesota governor also thanked the cat-loving pop star Taylor Swift who announced her endorsement of the Harris-Walz ticket moments after the debate concluded

James Liddell
Friday 13 September 2024 15:18 BST
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Tim Walz rally chants of ‘we don’t eat cats’

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The crowd at Tim Walz’s rally in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on Thursday trolled Donald Trump over his false claims that Haitian immigrants are eating pets, breaking out into chants of: “We don’t eat cats!”

The Democratic vice presidential nominee reflected on Tuesday’s presidential debate between Kamala Harris and Trump, teasing the former president with his now-classic buzzword for the Republican ticket: “weird.”

“He said a lot of weird stuff too, so I’m just going to say that,” the Minnesota governor told the crowd.

“You tell me that you had this on your bingo card: ‘And they’re eating cats’.”

A chorus of “we don’t eat cats” erupted from the crowd, as Walz jubilantly looked on from his podium.

“Ah, Michigan, we love you,” he said.

Tim Walz made the cat comments during his Grand Rapids, Michigan rally on Thursday
Tim Walz made the cat comments during his Grand Rapids, Michigan rally on Thursday (AP)

The governor was referencing Trump’s wild conspiracy theory that Haitian immigrants are eating pets in Springfield, Ohio.

The baseless claim, which was debunked by local authorities, came from a Facebook group post from a woman who had heard the story fourth-hand.

“They’re eating the dogs. They’re eating the cats. They’re eating the pets of the people that live there,” Trump said during the presidential debate, leaving Harris aghast.

“Extreme,” she responded.

Sticking with the feline theme at Thursday night’s rally, Walz also expressed gratitude to the cat-loving global pop star Taylor Swift who announced her endorsement of the Harris-Walz ticket moments after the debate concluded.

“Thanks to my fellow cat owner, Taylor Swift,” he said to a sea of rallygoers.

Taylor Swift threw her weight behind Harris and Walz with a post-debate Instragam announcement on Tuesday
Taylor Swift threw her weight behind Harris and Walz with a post-debate Instragam announcement on Tuesday (AFP via Getty Images)

“Vice President Harris and I couldn’t be more grateful to have her support. And look, it’s not as if I didn’t warn these guys a few months ago, you mess with cat people and you will find out.”

On Tuesday night, Swift, who carries enormous sway with Gen Z and Millennial voters, announced: “I will be casting my vote for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz in the 2024 Presidential Election.”

She signed off the post “Taylor Swift. Childless Cat Lady” and shared a photo of her holding her pet cat in a clear jab at Ohio Senator JD Vance’s resurfaced 2021 comments were he used the slur against female Democrats.

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