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Web Desk
President Joe Biden sparked a political firestorm on Tuesday when he seemingly referred to supporters of former President Donald Trump as “garbage” during a virtual event aimed at mobilizing Latino voters. The remarks came in response to a controversial joke made by comedian Tony Hinchcliffe at Trump’s rally at Madison Square Garden, where he described Puerto Rico as a “floating island of garbage.”
Biden condemned this rhetoric, stating, “The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters,” and criticized Trump for his lack of concern for the Latino community. Biden’s comments quickly drew backlash from Republicans, who interpreted them as an insult to millions of Americans who support Trump. Trump himself responded during a rally in Allentown, Pennsylvania, calling Biden’s remark worse than Hillary Clinton’s infamous “deplorables” comment from 2016. He characterized Biden’s statement as a clear attack on his supporters, saying, “Wow. That’s awful. That’s what it says.”In the wake of the controversy, the White House swiftly clarified Biden’s remarks.
Biden stated, “The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters.”
Press Secretary Andrew Bates emphasized that the president was specifically denouncing Hinchcliffe’s hateful language rather than targeting Trump supporters as a whole. Bates noted that Biden intended to refer to “supporter’s” in the singular form, implying he was addressing Hinchcliffe’s comments rather than making a broader statement about all Trump supporters.
Later in the day, Biden took to social media to further clarify his position. He reiterated that his comments were directed at the rhetoric used at Trump’s rally and not at the supporters themselves. “Today I described the hateful rhetoric regarding Puerto Rico expressed by a speaker at Trump’s rally as garbage—the only term that comes to mind,” he posted on X (formerly Twitter). He added that the comments made at that rally do not reflect American values.
Despite these clarifications, the damage may have already been done. Many observers noted parallels between Biden’s remarks and Clinton’s 2016 comments, which had significant political repercussions for her campaign. The incident provided Republicans with an opportunity to frame Biden and his administration as elitist and dismissive of working-class Americans.
Trump responded, “That’s what it says. Wow. That’s awful.”
Prominent Republican figures quickly seized on Biden’s words. JD Vance, Trump’s running mate, condemned the remarks as “disgusting,” while Florida Senator Marco Rubio emphasized his Cuban American heritage in response to Biden’s comments, stating that they were offensive not just to Trump supporters but to all patriots who love America.
Democrats also expressed discomfort with Biden’s phrasing. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro publicly distanced himself from the comments, asserting that he would never insult those who support candidates he opposes. Shapiro emphasized the need for Democrats to focus on contrasting their policies with those of Trump rather than attacking his supporters.
As the election approaches, this incident adds another layer of complexity to an already contentious political landscape. With just a week left until Election Day, Biden’s remarks may serve as a distraction from Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign efforts aimed at presenting a unifying message against Trump’s divisive rhetoric.
Shapiro emphasized, “I would never insult those who support candidates I oppose.”
Harris had been preparing for a significant speech in Washington D.C., where she aimed to outline her vision for leadership and contrast it with what she described as the fear and division associated with Trump’s presidency. However, with attention now diverted to Biden’s comments, it remains uncertain how this will impact her campaign strategy and voter perception in these final days leading up to the election.
