Biden's 'Garbage' Remark on Trump Supporters Sparks Backlash; White House Clarifies

Oct 30, 2024, 01:18 AM

President Joe Biden faced criticism after comments made during a virtual "Vote Latino" event on Tuesday, where he appeared to refer to supporters of former President Donald Trump as "garbage." The remarks came in response to a joke made by comedian Tony Hinchcliffe at Trump's Madison Square Garden rally, where Hinchcliffe referred to Puerto Rico as a "floating island of garbage." Biden said, "The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters—his demonization of Latinos is unconscionable, and it's un-American." The White House later clarified that Biden was referring specifically to the hateful rhetoric at the rally, with spokesperson Andrew Bates stating, "The President referred to the hateful rhetoric at the Madison Square Garden rally as 'garbage.'" Trump responded to the remarks during a campaign event in Pennsylvania, calling Biden's comments "worse" than Hillary Clinton's 2016 "basket of deplorables" remark. The incident has drawn comparisons to Clinton's controversial comment and has ignited backlash from Republicans, who argue that Biden insulted millions of Americans who voted for Trump.