Just about every time J.D. Vance — the most unpopular vice presidential nominee in American history — opens his mouth, he ignites a firestorm of criticism and likely shaves another point off the Republican presidential ticket’s polling numbers.

On Sunday, in an interview with CNN’s Dana Bash, Vance admitted that he and Donald Trump made up a baseless and racist story about Haitian immigrants eating pets in Springfield, Ohio.

“If I have to create stories so that the American media actually has to pay attention to the suffering of American people, then that’s what I’m going to do,” said Vance, a U.S. Senator representing Ohio.

Ironically, Vance’s attempt to point out imagined “suffering” has led to actual suffering by his own constituents.

Vance eventually told Bash to “shut up” about the rumor that has sparked racist verbal attacks on Haitians, marches in the town by the white-nationalist Proud Boys, bomb and shooting threats, closed schools and Donald Trump’s insistence that he’ll visit the town and eventually save it with mass deportations, if re-elected.

Trump and Vance have been criticized and mocked for the bizarre story, and have not been able to produce a single person with evidence that their pet has been eaten by Haitian immigrants.

When confronted with his assertion that he created a story, Vance — after a long pause of on-air silence — backpedaled, saying he “created the American media focusing on it,” and continued to insist that the story came from “first-hand accounts,” which has been proven false.

Ohio state representative Casey Weinstein tweeted that Vance, an Ohio senator, should resign. Hundreds of other similar demands were made on social media.

“In the wake of JD Vance admitting he ‘created’ the pet-eating story, and as a result of the very real threats the communities and people he has targeted are now under … I am calling on him to RESIGN as our Senator,” Weinstein posted on Twitter/X.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, who followed Vance on CNN, was asked to respond to Vance’s assertions.

“That was bonkers,” Shapiro said. “Listen, [Mike DeWine] the governor of Ohio, and the mayor of [Springfield] has said this is all made up. These are all lies. There is no truth to it. And the U.S. Senator from Ohio just came on your show and blamed his own constituents for his own lies. This guy is so pathetic.

“But the thing is, it is dangerous. There is a causal connection between the B.S. that JD Vance and Donald Trump spew and the safety and security of the American people. When they go out and they lie about this stuff, they put their fellow Americans at risk. ...

Shapiro added: “This has now taken on a life of its own because of what they incited, and people’s lives are at risk because of JD Vance. This guy should know better. It’s shameful what he did.”

MORE POLITICAL COVERAGE

Haitian American actor Garcelle Beauvais condemns ‘disgusting, deeply hurtful and dangerous’ lies from Trump, Vance

Gunman detained in another assassination attempt on Trump: ‘This madness has got to stop’

Garden State Parkway needs more police, drones to catch dangerous drivers, petition says

Trump lashes out at Taylor Swift: ‘This is the ultimate implosion and we’re watching it live’

Harris-Trump latest presidential polls: Shocking 14-point swing in deep-red state might tell you everything