US President Joe Biden faced criticism on Tuesday after he appeared to refer to supporters of Republican Donald Trump as “garbage” during a video call with the nonprofit VotoLatino.
Biden’s comments came in response to controversy stemming from remarks made by one of Trump’s speakers at a New York rally, who described Puerto Rico as a “floating island of garbage.” In the call, Biden stated, “The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters,” while condemning Trump’s rhetoric as “unconscionable” and “un-American.”
In response to the backlash, the White House clarified that Biden was referencing the rhetoric from the rally, not the supporters themselves. Andrew Bates, a White House spokesperson, stated, “The President referred to the hateful rhetoric at the Madison Square Garden rally as ‘garbage.’”
The remarks quickly became a focal point for Trump’s campaign, with Trump himself labeling Biden’s comments as “terrible” during a rally in Pennsylvania. He drew parallels to Hillary Clinton‘s infamous 2016 comment about “deplorables,” saying, “Garbage, I think is worse, right?”
Trump’s running mate, J.D. Vance, also criticized Biden, calling the comments “disgusting.” He argued that Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were effectively attacking a significant portion of the country.
The original comments made at the Trump rally by comedian Tony Hinchcliffe about Puerto Rico and further disparaging remarks regarding African Americans and Hispanic immigrants have also come under fire. While residents of Puerto Rico, a US territory, cannot vote in federal elections, nearly six million Puerto Ricans in the diaspora within the United States are eligible voters, highlighting the potential impact of such statements in the upcoming election.
As the election approaches, Biden’s comments and the subsequent fallout reflect the heightened tensions and divisions in American politics, especially as Harris is engaged in a tightly contested race against Trump for the White House.
