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U.S. President Joe Biden clarified a remark he made at an event for Latino voters, where he appeared to refer to supporters of former U.S. president Donald Trump as garbage.
However, that is not what he meant, Biden said on social media on Tuesday evening. In a post on X, he said he was calling the “hateful rhetoric about Puerto Rico” garbage — not supporters.
“(Trump’s) demonization of Latinos is unconscionable. That’s all I meant to say,” he said on X.
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Biden made the remark while speaking on a Zoom call with Voto Latino, a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating and empowering Latinx voters.
A short clip of Biden speaking, which has been viewed nearly half a million times on X by Wednesday morning, was shared by senior White House correspondent from NBC News Gabe Gutierrez. It showed the president speaking about Trump and how he has failed the Latino community.
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“Donald Trump has no character. He doesn’t give a damn about the Latino community,” said Biden. “Just the other day, a speaker at his rally called Puerto Rico a floating island of garbage?…The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporter’s — his demonization of Latinos is unconscionable…”
Biden was referencing comedian Tony Hinchcliffe, who spoke at Trump’s rally at Madison Square Garden in New York on Oct. 27. Hinchcliffe was on stage ahead of Trump.
“I don’t know if you guys know this,” said Hinchcliffe to the crowd, about four minutes into his speech, “but there’s literally a floating island of garbage in the middle of the ocean right now. It’s called Puerto Rico.”
Trump’s campaign later distanced itself from Hinchcliffe in a statement from senior Trump campaign advisor Danielle Alvarez to Fox News Digital.
“This joke does not reflect the views of President Trump or the campaign,” said Alvarez.
White House press secretary Andrew Bates issued a clarification of Biden’s remarks on X on Tuesday, posting a transcript of what Biden said.
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