US presidential debate: Stop using my son ‘for political gain’ - grieving father

Former US President Donald Trump and Republican vice-presidential nominee, US Senator JD Vance attend the annual 9/11 Commemoration Ceremony. Photo / Getty Images

The father of an 11-year-old boy who died last year delivered an emotional speech ahead of the presidential debate, rebuking Donald Trump, JD Vance and others for mischaracterising the circumstances around his son’s death.

“Using Aiden as a political tool is, to say the least, reprehensible for any political purpose,” Nathan Clark said on Tuesday evening (US time), with his wife at his side, during a public meeting in Springfield, Ohio. “And speaking of morally bankrupt politicians, Bernie Moreno, Chip Roy, JD Vance and Donald Trump. They have spoken my son’s name and use his death for political gain. This needs to stop now.”

Aiden Clark was killed on August 22, 2023, after the school bus he was on was hit by a vehicle driven by Hermanio Joseph. The driver, a 36-year-old immigrant from Haiti, did not have a valid driver’s licence at the time of the crash and in May was sentenced to a prison term of nine to 13½ years, the Springfield News-Sun reported.

Clark’s death has been amplified by Trump, Vance and other Republicans who have sought to attack vice-president Kamala Harris on immigration and attempted to portray Americans as less safe because of undocumented immigrants who have entered the United States since President Joe Biden and Harris took office.

“REMEMBER: 11-year-old Aiden Clark was killed on his way to school by a Haitian migrant that Kamala Harris let into the country in Springfield, Ohio,” Trump’s official campaign account wrote on Monday to their more than three million followers on X and TruthSocial. “Kamala Harris has refused to say Aiden’s name.”

Vance went further, writing Tuesday morning on X: “Do you know what’s confirmed? That a child was murdered by a Haitian migrant who had no right to be here.”

In the public meeting later that evening, Clark noted that he “will listen to them one more time to hear their apologies”.

But denounced hateful rhetoric toward Haitian immigrants that has amplified since his son’s death.

“To clear the air, my son, Aiden Clark, was not murdered,” Clark said. “He was accidentally killed by an immigrant from Haiti. This tragedy is felt all over this community, the state and even the nation. But don’t spin this towards hate.”

The media desperately wants you to ignore these stories. Kamala Harris opened up our border and American kids are dead because of her. She should answer directly for how her policies caused this. https://t.co/DQDAYLNF1P

— JD Vance (@JDVance) September 10, 2024

Spokespeople for Trump and Vance did not directly address Clark’s demand for an apology, nor back away from their prior statements.

“We hope the media will continue to cover the stories of the very real suffering and tragedies experienced by the people of Springfield, Ohio – many of which haven’t been given nearly the level of attention they deserve until now because they don’t fit the liberal mainstream media narrative,” Karoline Leavitt, a Trump campaign spokeswoman, said.

Luke Schroeder, a spokesman for Vance, also said in a statement that, “Kamala Harris should apologise to the angel mothers who testified before Congress yesterday,” and added “Will she apologise to Tammy Nobles, Alexis Nungaray, or Anne Fundner? They hold her and her open borders policies accountable for the deaths of their children. The Clark family is in Senator Vance’s prayers.”

Reagan McCarthy, a Moreno campaign spokeswoman, argued that Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and Harris “are the ones who should be apologising”.

“The reckless open border policies of Sherrod Brown and Kamala Harris are causing death and destruction across our entire nation,” McCarthy added. “The Clark family will always be in Bernie’s prayers.”

A spokesperson for Roy did not immediately provide a comment.

Trump and Vance have also spread baseless conspiracy theories about Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, killing and eating pets in the area – a claim that has been unsubstantiated by the local police and officials. Trump repeated the claim during the debate with Harris, even after a debate moderator said no credible evidence of the claim has surfaced.

“I’ve seen people on television … the people on television claimed, ‘My dog was taken and used for food,’” Trump said.