After referring to Trump supporters as "garbage," Biden provokes outrage

President Joe Biden recently retracted remarks he made about supporters of former President Donald Trump, calling them “garbage” during a virtual event with Voto Latino on October 29. This nonprofit organization focuses on increasing Latino voter registration. In his comments, Biden referred to comedian Tony Hinchcliffe’s controversial joke about Puerto Rico at Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally, where Hinchcliffe labeled the island “a floating island of garbage.” Biden responded, saying, “The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters,” condemning what he called Trump’s “unconscionable demonization of Latinos.”

Following criticism, both the White House and Biden clarified these remarks. White House spokesman Andrew Bates shared the event transcript, specifying that Biden had referred to “hateful rhetoric” as “garbage.” On X, Biden reiterated that his remarks targeted Trump’s rhetoric, stating, “That’s all I meant to say. The comments at that rally don’t reflect who we are as a nation.”

Biden’s comments quickly drew backlash from the Trump campaign. Trump’s spokesperson, Karoline Leavitt, accused Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris of “despising” millions of Trump supporters. Senator JD Vance from Ohio, Trump’s running mate, criticized Biden, calling his remarks “disgusting” on X, while Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro expressed disapproval, emphasizing that he would not insult Americans for their political choices.

Elon Musk, a supporter of Trump, tweeted that Biden had “just called half of America ‘garbage,’” which resonated at a Trump rally in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Senator Marco Rubio informed attendees of Biden’s comments, declaring, “We are not garbage. We are patriots.”

Trump later compared Biden’s words to Hillary Clinton’s 2016 “basket of deplorables” remark, noting the backlash Clinton faced after making similar comments during her campaign. Comedian Tony Hinchcliffe’s remarks, which spurred Biden’s comments, received bipartisan condemnation, including from Republican Senators Rick Scott and Rubio. In response, the Trump campaign distanced itself from Hinchcliffe’s comments, with senior adviser Danielle Alvarez clarifying that the joke did not represent the campaign’s views.