At a rally in Allentown, Pennsylvania, the atmosphere heated up when former President Donald Trump responded to recent comments made by President Joe Biden. Biden, during a conversation with Latino voters via Zoom, was perceived to have referred to Trump supporters as “garbage.”
Florida Senator Marco Rubio seized the moment, taking the stage to share what he called “breaking news.” “Just moments ago, Joe Biden stated that our supporters are garbage,” he declared, prompting boos from the audience.
Rubio’s remarks echoed Biden’s comments that day, which referenced a Trump rally where comedian Tony Hinchcliffe described Puerto Rico as a “floating island of garbage.” Biden stated, “The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters — his demonization of Latinos is unconscionable, and it’s un-American.”
In response, Rubio emphasized, “He’s talking about the Border Patrol, nurses, teachers, and everyday Americans who love their country. We are not garbage; we are patriots who love America.” He expressed hope that Biden’s campaign would apologize for the statement.
When Trump returned to the stage, the crowd erupted with cheers. “Wow, that’s terrible,” he remarked, recalling Hillary Clinton’s infamous 2016 reference to Trump supporters as “deplorable.” Trump insisted that Biden’s remarks were even worse, quipping, “Please forgive him for he not knoweth what he said.”
Later that evening, the White House issued a clarification regarding Biden’s comments. Spokesperson Andrew Bates explained that the President had referred specifically to “the hateful rhetoric at the Madison Square Garden rally as garbage.” He shared a transcript highlighting Biden’s focus on the positive contributions of Puerto Ricans in Delaware.
Furthermore, Biden responded on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “Earlier today, I referred to the hateful rhetoric about Puerto Rico spewed by Trump’s supporters at his Madison Square Garden rally as garbage—which is the only word I can think of to describe it.” He reiterated that this rhetoric does not represent the nation’s values.