Biden responded to Hinchcliffe’s jibe, stating, "The only garbage I see floating out there is (Trump's) supporters," prompting significant backlash from Republican leaders. The White House later provided a transcript to clarify that Biden’s statement was specifically addressing Hinchcliffe's remarks rather than a blanket statement about Trump’s backers.
Biden went further in a video call with Voto Latino, emphasizing the hateful rhetoric against Puerto Rico as "garbage," reinforcing that such comments do not represent America’s values. The fallout from his words has stirred comparisons to Hillary Clinton's infamous "basket of deplorables" comment back in 2016, spurring Trump supporters to rally around their narrative of victimization.
Trump seized the opportunity to counter Biden’s remarks, saying that one cannot lead America without loving its people and labeled Kamala Harris's campaign as a "campaign of hate," reflecting on the increasingly adversarial rhetoric between the parties. Despite the escalating tension, Trump branded the Madison Square Garden event a "love fest," sidestepping calls for apology regarding Hinchcliffe's comments, which were particularly offensive to the Puerto Rican community.
This incident is significant as Puerto Ricans, while unable to vote in presidential elections due to their territory status, have a considerable voting diaspora in the mainland U.S. The response from the Puerto Rican community, particularly in swing states like Pennsylvania, where they number 90,000, has been marked by a strong sense of anger over the comments made at the rally.
As Harris delivered her campaign’s closing argument in Washington D.C., she called on citizens to move past divisive politics, but Biden's remarks have threatened to dominate headlines in this critical election cycle. The political landscape continues to heat up as both parties prepare for what lies ahead in the race for the White House.
