Joe Biden calls Trump's supporters 'garbage,' then a correction
What's the story
United States President Joe Biden has clarified his recent comments that were perceived as offensive toward supporters of former President Donald Trump.
The controversy erupted after an edited video clip went viral on social media where Biden was seen saying, "The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters."
The remark drew criticism from Republican politicians and right-wing media outlets.
Political backlash
Biden's remarks compared to Clinton's 2016 comment
Biden's remarks came during a Zoom call with Voto Latino, where he slammed pro-Trump comedian Tony Hinchcliffe for his "unconscionable" and "un-American" demonization of Latinos.
The controversy, however, stemmed from ambiguity in Biden's statement.
Some journalists argued he was referring to Hinchcliffe's remarks, while others said he was labeling Trump supporters as garbage.
Twitter Post
Watch the video of the interview
🚨 BREAKING: Joe Biden on Trump Supporters: “The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters.”
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) October 30, 2024
pic.twitter.com/vjHroIZ8BR
Transcript release
White House releases official transcript of Biden's remarks
To clarify the context, the White House released an official transcript of Biden's remarks.
The transcript shows Biden saying, "The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporter's—his—his demonization of Latinos is unconscionable."
This indicates that Biden was referring to Hinchcliffe's comments as garbage, not Trump supporters.
The outrage over Biden's "garbage" statements comes as Kamala Harris attempted to make her closing argument of the presidential campaign, imploring the country to "turn the page" on Trump.
Public response
Biden responds to controversy on social media
Responding to the controversy, Biden also took to social media to clarify his remarks.
He tweeted that he had "meant to say" that it was the comedian's comments about Puerto Rico that were "garbage," not Trump supporters.
"Earlier today I referred to the hateful rhetoric about Puerto Rico spewed by Trump's supporter at his...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."