US President Biden faces Republican backlash after calling Trump supporters ‘garbage’

This controversial comment of Joe Biden coincided with Vice President Kamala Harris' closing argument speech, who spoke about her vision and faith to move the nation towards unity and compromise, away from the divisive rhetoric.

Washington: The controversy sparked when US President Joe Biden during a campaign with Latino voters compared supporters of Republican candidate Donald Trump to “garbage”. This comment came in response to a controversial joke made by a comedian at a recent Trump’s rally, where Puerto Rica was referred to as an “island of garbage”.

“The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters, his demonisation of Latinos is unconscionable, and it’s un-American.  It’s totally contrary to everything we’ve done, everything we’ve been,” He said in his remarks on a campaign on Tuesday.

“Just the other day, a speaker at his rally called Puerto Rico a “floating island of garbage.”  Well, let me tell you something.  I don’t know the Puerto Rican that — that I know — or a Puerto Rico, where I’m fr- — in my home state of Delaware, they’re good, decent, honourable people,” he said.

Republican Senator Marco Rubio raised serious concern over the issue in front of the thousands of republican supporters in Allentown, Pennsylvania. The former president, Donald Trump also condemned it. He compared Biden’s remarks to Hillary Clinton’s infamous “deplorables” comment in 2016, saying, “‘Garbage,’ I think, is worse.”  

Following the backlash, US president Joe Biden in a post on  X (formerly Twitter) explained, “Earlier today I referred to the hateful rhetoric about Puerto Rico spewed by Trump’s supporters at his Madison Square Garden rally as garbage—which is the only word I can think of to describe it.“

”His demonisation of Latinos is unconscionable. That’s all I meant to say. The comments at that rally don’t reflect who we are as a nation,” He added.

Earlier today I referred to the hateful rhetoric about Puerto Rico spewed by Trump’s supporter at his Madison Square Garden rally as garbage—which is the only word I can think of to describe it. His demonization of Latinos is unconscionable. That’s all I meant to say. The…

— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) October 30, 2024

Trump’s running mate, Senator JD Vance of Ohio, also condemned his remarks on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) and calls it “disgusting”. He further added that, “Kamala Harris and her boss Joe Biden are attacking half of the country.” “There’s no excuse for this. I hope Americans reject it,” he further added.

“The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters.” That’s a direct quote. That’s what Kamala Harris’s boss said. This is how Politico decided to report it:

Do @JonLemire @alexanderburns @politico have an ounce of integrity? Will they correct this obvious falsehood? pic.twitter.com/B1ktGVpLfz

— JD Vance (@JDVance) October 30, 2024

The National Press Secretary for Trump’s campaign, Karoline Leavitt emphasized Trump’s broad support among Latinos, Black voters, union workers, law enforcement officers, border patrol agents and other groups, calling Biden’s comments divisive and offensive. She stated, “Harris, Walz, and Biden have labeled these great Americans as fascists, Nazis, and now, garbage.”

‘There’s no way to spin it: Joe Biden and Kamala Harris don’t just hate President Trump, they despise the tens of millions of Americans who support him. Kamala does not deserve four more years. President Trump will be a president for all Americans,” she said. 

This controversial comment of Joe Biden coincided with Vice President Kamala Harris’ closing argument speech at Washington DC, who spoke about her vision and faith to move the nation towards unity and compromise, away from the divisive rhetoric.

(With PTI inputs)