In a moment that shocked many, President Joe Biden called Trump supporters “garbage” during a campaign event on Tuesday evening, sending his communication team scrambling to do damage control.
In a move that felt straight out of a propaganda playbook, White House Deputy Press Secretary Andrew Bates swiftly issued a transcript of Biden’s remarks, adding an apostrophe to imply the President was referring to a specific Trump-supporting comedian rather than the entire group of Trump supporters.
.@POTUS referred to the hateful rhetoric at the Madison Square Garden rally as “garbage.”
Transcript: pic.twitter.com/4ocg36lDNw
— Andrew Bates (@AndrewJBates46) October 30, 2024
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This attempt to reframe Biden’s words as narrowly focused met with raised eyebrows and skepticism from both political analysts and even some Democrats, as the cleanup efforts seemed more like spin than clarification.
"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
As reported by Townhall, the remark came while Biden was discussing the rhetoric at a Trump rally held in Madison Square Garden, where a comedian allegedly made disparaging comments about Puerto Rico.
Biden’s statement took a harsh turn when he declared, “The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters.”
Over 74 Million Americans voted for Donald Trump in the last election.
In an virtual event in support of Kamala Harris, Joe Biden called Trump supporters “garbage”
When you go to Vote, remember this. pic.twitter.com/KiaIFqxf7P
— America (@america) October 30, 2024
White House press team doubled down, posting a clarifying message on his X account, where Biden claimed he was only condemning the “hateful rhetoric” from the rally, not Trump’s supporters as a whole.
“The comments don’t reflect who we are as a nation,” Biden’s post stated, urging a reframe of his words as a critique of divisive language.
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
Unsurprisingly, the Biden team’s cleanup effort was bolstered by friendly media allies, but not without backlash. CNN’s Kaitlan Collins was among the first to question the White House’s damage control strategy, pointing out the obvious discrepancy in Biden’s words versus the spin, as reported by The Gateway Pundit.
“It’s hard to really look at that when you can listen to it for yourself,” Collins remarked, summarizing the public sentiment.
Even CNN isn't buying the pathetic spin from Harris-Biden allies after Biden called Trump supporters "garbage": "It's hard to really look at that when you can listen to it for yourself." pic.twitter.com/vJoypAc1KE
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) October 30, 2024
Meanwhile, Trump seized the opportunity to call out Biden’s divisive tone. Emphasizing his commitment to represent “all Americans,” Trump responded by showcasing his cross-sectional appeal, which he argues is rooted in serving every community across the country.
While I am running a campaign of positive solutions to save America, Kamala Harris is running a campaign of hate. She has spent all week comparing her political opponents to the most evil mass murderers in history. Now, on top of everything, Joe Biden calls our supporters…
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 30, 2024
Trump’s response subtly highlighted Biden’s polarizing approach, stressing his own track record of inclusivity.
Some Democrats were also left unsettled. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, for instance, voiced concerns over Biden’s derogatory comments, remarking that he would “never insult Americans” in such a way.
BRUTAL: Democrat Gov. Josh Shapiro says he'd "never insult" Americans as "garbage," like Biden just said about Trump supporters.
Kamala has not yet condemned this disgusting rhetoric — just hours after she said she was "proud" to serve with Biden. pic.twitter.com/PIusDWgbXc
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) October 30, 2024
Biden’s jab has left him fending off criticism from all angles, with his press team’s spin only drawing more attention to the gaffe.
As Biden’s team tries to move past this latest stumble, Trump’s base seems all the more energized, and the White House faces renewed pressure to maintain control of the President’s messaging as the campaign heats up.
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Nobody called Puerto Ricans “garbage”. Take a look at the conditions in Puerto Rico and you will see that “garbage” is a pretty accurate description of the conditions there. Biden is the only one calling people ( Trump supporters “garbage”