White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre pushed back against accusations that Joe Biden referred to Trump supporters as “garbage.”
During a press briefing on Wednesday, Jean-Pierre insisted that Biden was taken “out of context” and was referring only to comedian Tony Hinchcliffe, who joked that Puerto Rico was a “floating island of garbage” during former President Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally this week.
“Just to clarify, he was not calling Trump supporters garbage, which is why he put out — this is why he wanted to make sure we put out that clarified what he meant and what he was trying to say and so just want to make that very clear for folks who are watching,” she said.
Karine Jean-Pierre claims Biden "was not calling Trump supporters 'garbage'" — despite the fact that it was on video and everybody heard it.
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) October 30, 2024
(A reminder Kamala has NOT condemned the disgusting remark from her governing partner) pic.twitter.com/pFMt4VcUuS
“And I just want to read that out to folks. So he was regarding to the comedian [sic],” she said before going into the president’s statement.
Jean-Pierre added that Biden was only calling out “hateful rhetoric.”
“Hateful rhetoric that he hears — and we have done this many times from here — we will call that out. We will call that out and that’s what the president said,” she said.
“The president wanted to clarify because he understood what he may have said was being — he understood that what he was saying was being taken out of context so he wanted to be very, very clear about what he was trying to say,” she added.
Biden originally said on Tuesday:
And just the other day, a speaker at his rally called Puerto Rico a “floating island of garbage.” Well, let me tell you something. I don’t – I – I don’t know the Puerto Rican that – that I know – or a Puerto Rico, where I’m from – in my home state of Delaware, they’re good, decent, honorable people.
The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters – his – his demonization of Latinos is unconscionable, and it’s un-American. It’s totally contrary to everything we’ve done, everything we’ve been.
🚨 #BREAKING: The Harris Biden White House may have BROKEN THE LAW by altering the official transcript after Biden called Trump supporters “garbage,” according to the House Oversight Committee
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) October 30, 2024
HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE!
The Oversight Committee is now demanding the White House… pic.twitter.com/8zjtB9ejfX
Earlier, the media and White House quickly rushed to cover for Biden’s disparaging remarks in the wake of fierce backlash from Republicans, including Trump and his running mate Sen. J.D. Vance, even going as far as editing the official transcript.
Biden released a statement Wednesday attempting to clarify his remarks.
“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 comments at that rally don’t reflect who we are as a nation,” Biden said in his statement.
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
Democrat presidential selectee Kamala Harris meanwhile refused to speak on Biden’s comments earlier today but later released a statement criticizing Biden, saying she “strongly” disagrees with “any criticism of people based on who they vote for.”
REPORTER: "Do you sympathize with any voters who do feel offended by or insulted by the 'garbage' comment?"
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) October 30, 2024
KAMALA: "I am running for President of the United States. I will be traveling to three states today."
WOW. pic.twitter.com/huP88CpFqr
Watch the full WH press briefing: