U.S. President Biden calls Trump supporters 'garbage' during interview
In a typical Trumpian fashion, the former president responded to the controversy with sarcasm, saying, “Please forgive him! Because he didn’t know what he was saying.”
With just a week to go before the U.S. presidential election, President Joe Biden has ignited controversy with remarks directed at supporters of former President Donald Trump.
During a video conference with the Voto Latino organization, Biden responded to comedian Tony Hinchcliffe’s disparaging comments about Puerto Rico made at a Trump rally in New York. He stated, "The only trash I see floating there is his supporters," condemning the "hatred" and "demonization of Latinos" associated with Trump’s rhetoric.
The comments quickly drew sharp backlash from Republican leaders. Senator J.D. Vance, who is running alongside Trump, labeled Biden’s remarks as a “disgusting attack on half the country.”
Florida Senator Marco Rubio echoed this sentiment, asserting, “He’s talking about border patrol agents, nurses, teachers, ordinary Americans who love their country and want to dream big again… We’re not trash. We’re patriots who love America.”
Trump’s campaign also weighed in on the situation, with spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt emphasizing the diverse support Trump receives from Latinos, Black voters, union members, and law enforcement. She criticized the Biden administration, stating, “Harris, Walz, and Biden have called these great Americans fascists, Nazis, and now, trash.”
In an effort to mitigate the fallout, the White House clarified Biden’s comments. Press Secretary Andrew Bates explained that Biden was specifically referring to the “hateful rhetoric” used at the Madison Square Garden rally, not Trump supporters as a whole. Biden later addressed the situation on social media platform X, stating, "Earlier today, I was referring to the hateful rhetoric about Puerto Rico that was uttered by a Trump supporter at his Madison Square Garden rally — that's the only word I can think of to describe it."
In a typical Trumpian fashion, the former president responded to the controversy with sarcasm, saying, “Please forgive him! Because he didn’t know what he was saying.” This response has further fueled discussions surrounding the contentious political climate leading up to the election.