He was relaying what locals had reported. And those people were temporary residents who were flown in through the asylum program, and imported primarily into states that voted Trump in 2020.

as POTUS, maybe not repeating unconfirmed information as fact would be the better move.

He represents the people. And he wasn't POTUS, he was a presidential candidate, relaying what his potential constituents were concerned about.

Even if Trump was just relaying local racist rumors (he wasn't, it was entirely fabricated), would he be justified in it? There was absolutely zero evidence of it, and there still isn't.

It's just a lie in service of fueling hatred toward the most poorest people in this country. Fascism 101.

No local reported that. It was all a lie.

Should Trump also relay blood libels against Jews?

The mayor of the town (a Republican) came out and straight up said Trump was lying about his town. The only people reporting it could barely point to the town on a map.

Vance admitted it on camera that he made it up to get a national conversation started

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politic...

The term "create stories" in this context does not mean made up the story it means create a story out of the report the way journalists create a story out of a news event

Oh I got it, I shouldn’t believe my lying eyes