The President's comments, which were made during a speech to a Latino advocacy group, have drawn comparisons to Hillary Clinton's infamous 2016 characterization of Trump voters as 'deplorables'.
Biden, 81, was quoted as saying, "Just the other day, a speaker at [Trump's] rally 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."
The White House, in a frantic bid to mitigate the fallout from Biden's comments, issued a statement that subtly altered the President's words, adding an apostrophe to 'supporter's' to suggest that Biden was referring to a single individual - comedian Tony Hinchcliffe, who had made a derogatory joke about Puerto Rico. This information was reported by the Daily Mail.
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However, the damage was done, and the President's words sparked immediate outrage among Trump's supporters, including the former President himself. Trump, speaking at a rally in Allentown, Pennsylvania, stated, "Wow, that's what [Biden] says… garbage. I think it's worse [than deplorables]. Please forgive him for he knoweth not what he say. Honestly he doesn't. And I'm convinced that he likes me more than he likes Kamala."
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In the aftermath of Biden's remarks, Democrats began distancing themselves from the President, while Trump's allies seized the opportunity to criticize Biden. JD Vance, Trump's running mate, took to Twitter to express his indignation, writing, "Kamala Harris and Joe Biden ought to be ashamed of themselves."
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The controversy surrounding Biden's comments overshadowed a planned rally by Kamala Harris, who was hoping to capture the nation's attention with her final case for why she should be elected president. Despite the distraction, Harris delivered a powerful speech, calling Trump 'unstable' and criticizing his 'obsession' with 'grievance' and 'revenge'.
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The fallout from Biden's comments continued to reverberate across the political spectrum, with figures from both sides expressing their disapproval. Even liberals were taken aback by the President's words, with New York Magazine writer Jonathan Chait stating, "I think Biden was trying to describe the speaker's comment, not all Trump supporters, as garbage. I also think Biden should be staying away from cameras and media but his ego won't let him."
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The incident has further fueled the already heated race for the presidency, with the candidates separated by less than one point in most of the swing states that will ultimately decide the winner. More than 50 million Americans have already cast their votes in what promises to be a nail-biting finish.
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As the controversy raged, Trump was at a rally in Allentown, Pennsylvania, where he was informed of Biden's comments by Republican senator Marco Rubio. Rubio told the crowd, "Just moments ago, Joe Biden stated that our supporters are garbage. I hope their campaign is about to apologize. We are not garbage, we are patriots who love America."
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The incident has also served to highlight the importance of the Hispanic vote in the upcoming election. Trump, in an attempt to win over this key demographic, brought out a lineup of Hispanic supporters and surrogates at his Allentown rally. This move came in the wake of a controversial joke made by comedian Tony Hinchcliffe at a Trump rally, which had insulted the Puerto Rican community.
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Despite the controversy, Trump's supporters remain steadfast in their support for the former President. As one supporter put it, "We are not garbage, we are patriots who love America." This sentiment, echoed by many others, serves as a stark reminder of the deep divisions that continue to characterize the American political landscape.
