In a heated turn of events, President Trump responded live to news that Joe Biden had labeled his supporters as “garbage.” Biden’s controversial remark came during a taped interview with CNN, where he was addressing an insult comic’s joke about Puerto Rico from Trump’s rally at Madison Square Garden. Biden stated, “They’re good, decent, honorable people,” referring to Puerto Ricans, before adding, “The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters.”
The comment sent shockwaves through Trump’s campaign. About an hour after Biden’s words aired, Senator Marco Rubio informed Trump and a packed rally in Allentown, Pennsylvania, drawing boos from the crowd. “He’s talking about the Border Patrol. He’s talking about nurses. He’s talking about teachers, everyday Americans who love their country,” Rubio emphasized. “We are not garbage; we are patriots.”
Trump returned to the podium to address the insult directly, pausing as the crowd erupted in chants of “USA.” “That’s terrible,” Trump said, likening Biden’s words to Hillary Clinton’s infamous “deplorables” comment from 2016, which Trump noted “didn’t work out.” He concluded, “Please forgive him, for he not knoweth what he said,” hinting at Biden’s frequent verbal missteps.
Trump is informed live on stage that Joe Biden just called his voters "garbage" pic.twitter.com/Ub344d14MU
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) October 30, 2024
As outrage swelled, the White House scrambled to contain the fallout. Biden attempted to clarify in a post on X, writing, “Earlier today I referred to the hateful rhetoric about Puerto Rico spewed by Trump’s supporter at his Madison Square Garden rally as garbage… That’s all I meant to say.” Despite the clarification, Biden’s comments have stirred bipartisan criticism. Pennsylvania’s Democratic Governor Josh Shapiro reacted with disappointment, saying, “I would never insult the good people of Pennsylvania or any Americans, even if they chose to support a candidate… I didn’t support.”
PA Governor Josh Shapiro (D) slams President Biden for calling tens of millions of Americans "garbage"
“I’m giving you my fresh reaction to it. I would never insult the good people of Pennsylvania or any Americans even if they chose to support a candidate that I didn’t support.” pic.twitter.com/OM5NOBXXYB
— Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) October 30, 2024
The controversy has not only sparked public outrage but also overshadowed Kamala Harris’s “closing argument” rally in Washington, D.C. In her own speech, Harris attempted to present herself as a unifying, “change” candidate, but her words fell flat in light of Biden’s remarks. Harris also added to the tension, calling Trump a “petty tyrant” and a “wannabe dictator,” fueling more division on the campaign trail.
Political analysts have observed the backlash’s toll on the Harris campaign. CNN’s Chris Cillizza noted, “This is getting more attention than Harris’ closing argument speech,” calling Biden’s remark a “nightmare” scenario. For a campaign trying to court undecided voters and focus on unity, Biden’s comment has thrown a wrench in the works, leaving his team scrambling for damage control with Election Day just around the corner.