President Biden Faces Backlash After Referring to Trump Supporters as “Garbage”
President Joe Biden faced backlash after referring to Trump supporters as "garbage" during a call with Hispanic advocacy group Voto Latino, following derogatory comments about Puerto Rico made at a Trump rally. Biden condemned the offensive remarks, showing support for Puerto Ricans and criticizing Trump’s treatment of Latino communities. His comments, however, sparked controversy, with critics drawing comparisons to Hillary Clinton’s “deplorables” remark. The White House later clarified that Biden was addressing hateful rhetoric, not Trump’s supporters as a whole.
DipVai
10/31/20241 min read
U.S. President Joe Biden stirred controversy following remarks he made about former President Donald Trump’s supporters, referring to them as "garbage" during a conversation with Voto Latino, a Hispanic advocacy group, on Tuesday. Biden’s comments came in response to comedian Tony Hinchcliffe’s divisive comments at Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally, where he made derogatory remarks about Puerto Rico, referring to it as a “floating island of garbage.”
Hinchecliffe’s rhetoric was condemned by prominent Latino leaders and Democrats, especially those representing Puerto Rican communities in key states like Pennsylvania. Biden addressed this, standing in solidarity with Puerto Ricans and celebrating their contributions to the U.S. “I don’t know a Puerto Rican who isn’t good, decent, and honorable,” Biden said, further adding, “The only garbage I see floating out there is his [Trump’s] supporters.”
Biden criticized Trump’s treatment of Latino communities as un-American, adding that such divisive language contradicts American values. The backlash, however, was swift, with Republicans drawing parallels to Hillary Clinton’s controversial “deplorables” remark from the 2016 campaign, arguing that Biden’s words insulted a large group of Americans.
In the wake of Biden’s remarks, White House spokesperson Andrew Bates clarified that Biden was referring to the rhetoric at the rally, not all Trump supporters, calling the comments a response to the “hateful rhetoric” directed at Puerto Ricans. Aware of the potential impact, Biden also addressed the issue on social media, aiming to clarify his stance amid the brewing controversy.
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