Vice President Kamala Harris responded to President Joe Biden's comment, seemingly criticizing supporters of Donald Trump. She noted that the president clarified his remarks, but also stated she disagreed with the sentiment.
“I strongly disagree with any criticism of people based on who they vote for. You heard my speech last night," Harris said on Wednesday. "I believe the work that I do is about representing all the people, whether they support me or not."
In a call organized by the Hispanic advocacy group Voto Latino, the president responded to a comic at Trump's Madison Square Garden rally who called Puerto Rico a “floating island of garbage.”
“The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters. His demonization of Latinos is unconscionable, and it’s un-American. It’s totally contrary to everything we’ve done, everything we’ve been," President Biden said.
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Facing immediate backlash, President Biden took to social media to personally clarify what he meant.
“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,” he posted on X. “His demonization 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.”
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre clarified his comments because he "understands that what he said was being taken out of context."
Still, Republicans quickly highlighted Biden's remark. Trump called up Florida Sen. Marco Rubio during his rally in Allentown, Pennsylvania, to recount what happened.
“Moments ago Joe Biden stated that our supporters, our patriots, are garbage,” Rubio said. ”He’s talking about everyday Americans who love their country.”
Trump campaign spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said in a subsequent statement, “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."
A Trump campaign fundraising text declared, “KAMALA’S BOSS JOE BIDEN JUST CALLED ALL MY SUPPORTERS GARBAGE!” before ensuring recipients that Trump himself thinks, “YOU ARE AMAZING!”
Even some prominent Democrats began distancing themselves from President Biden's comments. Speaking on CNN, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said he would “never insult the good people of Pennsylvania or any Americans even if they chose to support a candidate that I didn't support.”
The comments recalled then-Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton dismissing Trump supporters during a 2016 fundraiser in New York by saying that half would fit into a “ basket of deplorables.”
Clinton later called that characterization “grossly generalistic.” But it became a defiant rallying cry for many Trump backers who said the insult encapsulated the elitist attitudes of Clinton and the Democrats.
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As reactions to Biden's reaction began to fly, meanwhile, Trump was asked in an interview Tuesday night with Fox News' Sean Hannity about the racist and vulgar joke at his New York rally. He responded: “Somebody said there was a comedian that joked about Puerto Rico or something. And I have no idea who he is.”
The former president added, "I can’t imagine it’s a big deal.”
Trump has also used crude language on the campaign trail. At a rally Tuesday in Allentown, Pennsylvania, a city with a large Hispanic population, Trump repeated his claim that Biden's immigration policies have allowed other countries to treat the U.S. like “a giant garbage can.”
With Election Day now just a week off, President Biden has worked to maintain relevance, furiously promoting his administration’s accomplishments while Harris in her race against Trump.
But his efforts to remain in the political spotlight might not always be so helpful for the top of the Democratic ticket he’s now promoting. That’s because, while Harris has been sharply critical of Trump for months, repeatedly calling him “unstable” and “unhinged” and even suggesting that he was “ fascist,” she has been careful not to decry his supporters.
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In fact, the vice president has campaigned extensively with former Republican Rep. Liz Cheney and other former GOP elected officials — hoping to woo conservative crossover voters. The Democratic convention — and Harris ads — have highlighted the stories of everyday Americans who talked about having voted for Trump in the past but now say they are supporting the vice president.
On Tuesday’s call, President Biden also said that Trump “doesn’t give a damn about the Latino community” and urged rejection of the former president even as Trump’s campaign says its support is rising among Hispanics, particularly men.
“Vote to keep Donald Trump out of the White House,” President Biden said. “He’s a true danger to, not just Latinos but to all people. Particularly those who are in a minority in this country.”
