SATIRE (unless it isn't)
THE HOAX FILES · 13
Thirty-Three Threats, Zero Bombs
Thirty-three threats, zero bombs, and two hoaxes in one town.
CNN
Springfield got flooded with bomb threats. The governor said every one was a hoax, many sent from overseas.
As printed on the graphic:
Springfield Bomb Threat Hoax
What they sold
September 2024. After false claims that Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, were eating pets, the city was hit with bomb threats aimed at schools, city hall and hospitals. CNN, September 16, 2024: "Extra law enforcement to patrol schools in Springfield, Ohio, after threats linked to false claims about Haitian immigrants." The coverage tied the threats straight to Trump's rhetoric.
What the record shows
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican, said there had been at least 33 bomb threats, and every one was a hoax with "no validity." His office said many came from overseas, and officials later said the vast majority came from foreign countries, without naming which (CNBC, PBS, AP). Zero bombs.
Here's the honest part. The pet-eating claim was false too. City officials said there were no credible reports. So the "hoax" label cuts both ways. The spin was the implication that the threats came from local Trump supporters, when the governor said most came from abroad.
The damage
FNN analysis: foreign trolls flooded a small city with fake threats, and the coverage turned it into a domestic culture-war story. Whoever sent the emails from overseas got exactly the panic they wanted. Gallup trust: 31% in 2024, 28% in 2025.
Closer
Thirty-three threats. Zero bombs. Foreign senders. Report the origin, not just the outrage.