Republicans react to Biden’s ‘garbage’ comments as Trump-Harris 2024 election nears
President Joe Biden threw what appeared to be a final shot across the bow of the Trump campaign just one week before the election, referring to Trump voters as "garbage."
It’s similar to right before the 2016 election when Hillary Clinton called Trump supporters "deplorables."
Just like eight years ago, Republicans have once again circled the wagons and are using the "garbage" verbiage to offset Vice President Kamala Harris’ bid to become president.
Here’s what happened. During a virtual Harris campaign call with Voto Latino, one of the largest Latino voter and civic outreach organizations in the U.S., Biden was asked about comedian Tony Hinchcliffe who, during a Trump rally on Sunday at Madison Square Garden, called Puerto Rico a "floating island of garbage."
"The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters," Biden said of Trump on Tuesday. "[Trump's] demonization of Latinos is unconscionable and it is un-American."
Republicans came out in droves to condemn the president’s remarks.
"Add this to the "basket of deplorables" and "nazi" slurs against Americans. Why to so many Democrat leaders hate so many of our fellow Americans?" Missouri Sen. Eric Schmitt said.
"Garbage? What they say about us actually says more about them. What are we going to do about it? Get to WORK. Elect @realDonaldTrump. Elect Republicans. Call our friends and neighbors to VOTE!," South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott said.
"As a Republican member of Congress, I’ve met with many of my constituents who are Democrats, Libertarians, NPA, and Independents. I would NEVER call them garbage. What are you doing @POTUS?" Florida Rep. Anna Paulina Luna tweeted.
"Holy s***. The media spent all week crying about a joke from a comedian. Meanwhile, Tim Walz called Trump supporters Nazis. Kamala Harris refused to condemn it. And now Kamala's biggest Democrat ally, Joe Biden, is calling all Trump supporters "garbage." Absolutely disgusting!!!" Donald Trump Jr. wrote.
"Tonight, the sitting Democratic President of the United States just called Trump supporters "garbage." After two failed assassination attempts against Trump followed by the DNC state run media lecturing republicans to "tone down the rhetoric,"" Texas Rep. Wesley Hunt said.
"A mother mourning her son who died of a fentanyl overdose is not garbage. A truck driver who can't afford rising diesel prices is not garbage. A father who wants to afford groceries is not garbage. Kamala Harris and Joe Biden ought to be ashamed of themselves," wrote vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance.
LIVE UPDATES: BIDEN ATTEMPTS TO DENY CALLING TRUMP SUPPORTERS ‘GARBAGE’ DESPITE VIDEO
"Obama called us clingers.
Hillary called us deplorables.
Kamala calls us fascists.
And Biden just called us garbage.
They don’t respect us & don’t want unity.
But we do.
We want to Make America Great Again.
Our coalition is for ALL AMERICANS," Florida Rep. Byron Donalds tweeted.
The Harris campaign has yet to respond to Biden’s "garbage" remarks.
Just before the presidential election in 2016, then Democratic hopeful Hillary Clinton referred to Trump supporters as a "basket of deplorables." Though she was leading at the time, Trump eventually won the election.
Early voting has begun around the nation, and Election Day is Nov. 5.
Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.