Trump and his allies link Biden’s ‘garbage’ comment to 2016 ‘deplorables’ remark

By Jonathan Swan and Maggie Haberman

Donald Trump and his allies are trying to recreate a moment that resonated deeply with his supporters in the 2016 campaign: when Hillary Clinton referred to Trump supporters as a “basket of deplorables.”

On Tuesday, it was President Joe Biden who provided the ammunition, appearing to call Trump supporters “garbage” while talking to Latino allies by video.

“Just the other day, a speaker at his rally called Puerto Rico a ‘floating island of garbage,’” Biden said, adding what sounded like, “The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters — his, his demonization of Latinos is unconscionable, and it’s un-American.” The White House insisted that what Biden had said was “his supporter’s demonization,” referring only to the comic who initially insulted Puerto Ricans with an offensive joke at Trump’s New York rally Sunday.

Trump’s allies insisted the meaning was clear.

Within minutes of the clip of Biden’s remarks going viral on social media Tuesday night, Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida addressed Trump’s rally in Allentown, Pennsylvania, and informed the crowd of Biden’s statement.

“I have breaking news for you, Mr. President — you may not have heard this,” Rubio told the audience after Mr. Trump had called him up to the stage and stood next to him. “Just moments ago, Joe Biden stated that our supporters are garbage — are garbage.”

Rubio added, as the crowd booed and Trump shook his head: “He’s talking about the Border Patrol. He’s talking about nurses. He’s talking about teachers. He’s talking about everyday Americans who love their country and want to dream big again and support you, Mr. President.”

Trump’s team saw the moment from Biden as similar to the occasion when Clinton, speaking at a fundraiser in late summer during the 2016 campaign, condemned half of Trump’s supporters as belonging in “what I call the basket of deplorables.” She had added, “The racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, Islamophobic — you name it. And unfortunately there are people like that. And he has lifted them up.”

Clinton went on to say the other half of his supporters felt let down and ignored by the government, but the damage had been done. Trump’s supporters proudly called themselves “deplorables,” owning the label, as the Trump campaign said it proved how little Clinton thought of a significant chunk of the country.

The Trump campaign of 2024 immediately sought to highlight Biden’s comment, which was made far later in the race than Clinton’s remark. Biden’s comment did not just give fodder to Trump to portray Biden as uninterested in those he represents; it gave the Trump campaign yet another opportunity to tightly tie Harris to the unpopular sitting president.

“That’s terrible,” Trump said from the stage at his rally. “So you have — remember Hillary, she said ‘Deplorable.’” He added of Biden, “I’m convinced that he likes me more than he likes Kamala.”

Trump has repeatedly demonized Democrats, using terms that have included “the enemy within,” “communists,” “Marxists” and “vermin.” He has attacked his critics and threatened some with prosecution if he becomes president again.

The insult of Puerto Rico at the rally Sunday by comic Tony Hinchcliffe set off backlash within the Puerto Rican community, denunciations from Republican lawmakers and now two days of negative news cycles for Trump.

Even the Trump campaign issued an uncharacteristically defensive statement distancing Trump from Hinchcliffe’s joke. And both of Trump’s events in Pennsylvania on Tuesday featured Puerto Rican women who praised Trump and portrayed him as an ally of Puerto Rico.

By Tuesday night, the Trump campaign was using the Biden comments to appeal to his supporters. Trump sent a fundraising email with the subject line: “You are not garbage! I love you! You are the best our nation has to offer.”

Trump’s running mate, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, who has been the former president’s most aggressive defender, posted on the social platform X about the remark, writing: “This is disgusting. Kamala Harris and her boss Joe Biden are attacking half of the country. There’s no excuse for this. I hope Americans reject it.”