Biden Uses Social Media To Clarify Comment
In a heated exchange on Tuesday night, President Joe Biden faced backlash for comments calling supporters of former President Donald Trump “garbage.” Attempting to clarify his statement, Biden claimed on social media that he had been referring specifically to “hateful rhetoric about Puerto Rico” voiced by a Trump supporter during a recent rally at Madison Square Garden.
Biden insisted that his intent was only to denounce the alleged anti-Latino comments, stating, “The comments at that rally don’t reflect who we are as a nation.”
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
However, this statement diverges from Biden’s actual remarks made during a campaign call on the same night. In the call, Biden’s criticisms broadened, taking aim at Trump supporters more generally rather than limiting his focus to a single speaker at the rally.
“The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters,” Biden remarked, adding that Trump’s attitudes toward the Latino community were “unconscionable” and “un-American.” His broader statements echoed the tension in Biden’s approach to Trump’s base, suggesting a pointed critique of the former president’s followers.
WATCH: President Joe Biden: "The only garbage I see floating out there is [Trump] supporters." pic.twitter.com/9teSUOytqC
— Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) October 30, 2024
Biden’s response on X (formerly Twitter) quickly drew scrutiny as many noted the inconsistency between his original remarks and his subsequent attempt to frame them as a focused critique.
The incident comes at a critical moment, with Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris working to galvanize support in the final days before the election, while facing high disapproval ratings and heightened polarization among voters.
With Latino voters a key demographic in swing states, Biden’s comments — and his clarification — may have wider implications as he navigates the balance between condemning opposition views and risking alienation of undecided or moderate voters.