A new parody song has taken the internet by storm, poking fun at former US President Donald Trump’s outlandish claim that Haitian immigrants in Ohio were eating cats and dogs. Trump made this unfounded accusation during his first, and likely last, presidential debate with Democratic candidate Kamala Harris.
The parody, created by the band ‘The Kiffness’ led by South African singer David Scott, transforms Trump’s statement into a toe-tapping tune, complete with amusing meows and woofs. Scott, a parody artist and producer, has crafted a catchy tune that has garnered a massive 11.1 million views on YouTube alone within just two weeks.
Scott insists that his song is not an attack, but rather a playful way to offer some cat- and dog-friendly dietary advice. “People of Springfield please don’t eat my cat,” he pleads in the song. “Why would you do that?/ Eat something else.”
“I think music has a powerful way of taking away negative energy and polarising feelings, especially with someone like Donald Trump, who is such a polarising figure,” Scott told AFP before his band gave a concert in Paris. The song incorporates humorous ‘whoa, whoa, whoa’ and ‘meow, meow, meow’ interludes to mimic a dog and a cat, adding to the song’s comedic effect.
Scott, a 36-year-old from Cape Town, believes in the unifying power of music and animals. “I want my music to unite people. And I think that’s why I moved towards music that included animals. Because animals unite people,” he said.
The video has been a massive hit on social media, garnering over 1.1 million likes and 4.1k comments. One comment read, “What has our nation become when we question if Ohio immigrants from Haiti are eating cats? Is the information true or a lie?” while another exclaimed, “I swear, it’s like a new Trump banger remix is dropping every day! This is fire!! (followed by fire and a cat laughing emojis)”.
Scott has pledged that all the earnings from the song will go towards helping pets and stray animals in Springfield. He has already raised over $20,000. “I’ve never seen anything like it,” he told AFP. “The interest has been overwhelming from both sides, from Democrats, from Republicans.”
Scott emphasizes that the song isn’t meant to make light of the situation, but rather to demonstrate that one can rise above negativity and find humor in difficult circumstances. “It’s not laughing at the situation, it’s saying that you can rise above it… and just see the humour in things.”
Trump’s baseless claim about Haitian immigrants eating cats and dogs stemmed from a debate exchange where Kamala Harris criticized the size of Trump’s rallies. Trump retorted by claiming, without any evidence, that Harris paid people to attend her rallies. He then went on to accuse Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio of eating pets. “In Springfield, they’re eating the dogs, the people that came in, they’re eating the cats,” said Trump. “They’re eating the pets of the people that live there.”
This baseless claim, reported by The Guardian and BBC, quickly spread on social media, with Republican vice-presidential candidate JD Vance even promoting it. The post has garnered over 11 million views. “My constituents are telling me firsthand that they’re seeing these things,” Vance told CNN, refusing to apologize for amplifying the false rumors.
Haitian groups in Springfield have not filed charges against Trump or Vance despite the harmful impact these false rumors have had on their community.
Scott’s parody song has effectively highlighted the absurdity of Trump’s claim, drawing attention to the harmful consequences of spreading false information, and prompting a conversation about the importance of critical thinking in a world saturated with misinformation.
