CNN anchor Kate Bolduan and Democratic analyst Karen Finney went ballistic on Marc Lotter, the chief communications officer at American First Policy Institute and former director of strategic communications for the Trump-Pence administration, during a Thursday interview on the network.

Bolduan accused Lotter and Donald Trump’s campaign of “gaslighting” the American people about the immigration crisis, particularly regarding Haitian pet-eating allegations in Springfield, Ohio.

'What they need, as the mayor himself said, is help. Not hate. Not the KKK showing up, not the Proud Boys showing up.'

“If we’re talking about immigration, now you have this added fact, that Donald Trump now promises that he’s gonna be going to Springfield, Ohio, in the next two weeks to continue to lean on what the Republican governor has said is a bunch of garbage in terms of these conspiracy theories about immigrants eating pets,” Bolduan stated.

“Why would you advise him to go and do that?” Bolduan asked Lotter.

“Absolutely, I would advise him to go because what‘s going on in Springfield, Ohio, what’s going on in Aurora, Colorado, it’s not just about a specific incident, it’s about what we see these unchecked immigration doing to these communities as people are fighting for housing, fighting for services,” Lotter responded.

Bolduan quickly interrupted, snapping at Lotter, “No, it definitely has to do with specific things, Marc. Come on!”

“I have officially entered the realm of gaslighting,” she continued. “I have good friends and analysts now coming out over the past two days telling me what is reality is not reality. Marc, the governor says it’s garbage. ... There are no pets being eaten in Springfield, so it is an embodiment or a representation of absolutely zero.”

Lotter proceeded to explain that the town, which was previously roughly 60,000 people, has since become overwhelmed by the 15,000 to 20,000 Haitian nationals “dumped into that community.”

Finney responded, “No,” as Lotter continued.

“You have residents there who are worried, they are facing reduced services, they are seeing their parks overrun,” Lotter said. “There’s discussions about people who are squatting on people’s yards. There’s a lot of problems there.”

Finney again replied, “No.”

“Look at what’s going on in Aurora, Colorado, where you have Venezuelan gangs taking over apartment complexes,” Lotter added.

Once more, Finney rejected Lotter’s statements.

“It’s disgusting and shameful, and it is endangering the lives of children and families! Shame on him and shame on JD Vance, because here’s the truth,” Finney barked. “Nobody dumped people on Springfield, Ohio. Businesses in Ohio had job shortages. They were recruiting Haitian migrants who are here in this country legally to come to help fill what are menial labor jobs that people who lived there didn’t want to do. That’s what happened.”

She continued, “What they need, as the mayor himself said, is help. Not hate. Not the KKK showing up, not the Proud Boys showing up.”

Finney accused Trump of using a “political tactic,” claiming he “demonize[d], dehumanize[d] and lie[d] about migrants to scare people.”

She questioned how Trump’s administration would conduct mass deportations.

“Are cops going to go house to house and just pull people out of their homes? How are they going to decide who is here legally and who is here not legally? Is it going to be deportation camps? I’m telling you, it’s a disaster. And who’s going to pay for it?” Finney asked.

Lotter suggested that the deportation efforts begin with the criminals and gang members.

“You’re going to have to define what a criminal is because they’re — some of the immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, are being wrongfully labeled criminals by Donald Trump!” Bolduan claimed.

Lotter said, “There are so many communities out there that are struggling to keep up with services, whether it’s New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, wherever. Now, we’re seeing it going into smaller communities. People are worried.”

Lotter noted that Trump was “highlighting the problems” in these communities.

“Just, on a factual basis, it’s not highlighting a problem. It’s not because, factually, it’s not happening in Springfield. Go find your problem elsewhere then if you want to have the factoid,” Bolduan responded. “That’s my point. It’s not, Marc, that there isn’t problems with immigration in this country right now. Democrats and Republicans agree with that, but it’s finding examples that don’t exist that is the problem here.”

Finney argued that the country needs “comprehensive immigration reform that includes a path to citizenship for those who are here legally.”

Lotter interrupted Finney, claiming she was suggesting mass amnesty.

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