‘I have to begin by saying 250 million Americans are not garbage,’ Trump told rallygoers.
ASHWAUBENON, Wis.—Former President Donald Trump spoke to the press from the passenger seat of a garbage truck in Wisconsin on Wednesday—a reference to President Joe Biden’s comments many have taken as calling Trump supporters “garbage.”
The Republican nominee stepped off his private airplane and took a ride in a truck emblazoned with Trump campaign messaging and American flags.
“How do you like my garbage truck? This truck is in honor of Kamala and Joe Biden,” Trump said to reporters from the passenger seat.
The former president later took to the stage at a campaign rally in Ashwaubenon wearing an orange safety vest.
“I have to begin by saying 250 million Americans are not garbage,” Trump said in opening his speech.
Trump appears to be capitalizing on comments made by Biden during a campaign call in response to a joke about Puerto Rico made by roast comedian Tony Hinchcliffe earlier in the week. Hinchcliffe was speaking at a Trump campaign rally at New York City’s Madison Square Garden.
“Just the other day, a speaker at his rally called Puerto Rico a ‘floating island of garbage,’” Biden said, according to video footage of his remarks. “The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters.”
The White House later released a transcript of the comments to show an apostrophe in the word supporters: “The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporter’s.”
The president later clarified that his comments were referring to the comedian and not Trump supporters in general.
The Trump campaign highlighted Biden’s remarks on social media and called on the Harris campaign to denounce the remarks.
Vice President Kamala Harris sought to distance herself from Biden’s remarks on Oct. 30.
“Listen, I think, first of all, he clarified his comments, but let me be clear: I strongly disagree with any criticism of people based on who they vote for,” Harris told reporters on the tarmac at Joint Base Andrews.
“You heard my speech last night and continuously throughout my career. I believe that the work that I do is about representing all the people whether they support me or not.”
At a rally on Oct. 30 in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, Trump linked Biden’s comments to Harris.
“And now, speaking on a call for her campaign last night, Joe Biden finally said what he and Kamala really think of our supporters. He called them garbage,” Trump said. “And they mean it. … My response to Joe and Kamala is very simple: You can’t lead America if you don’t love Americans. … And you can’t be president if you hate the American people.”
Trump, on Fox News’ Hannity, distanced himself from Hinchcliffe and the comedian’s comments that were made before Trump arrived at the Madison Square Garden rally.
“I have no idea who he is, never saw, never heard of him, and don’t want to hear of him,” Trump said.
The White House also sought to further clarify Biden’s remark, with a spokesman writing on social media that the president was saying that “hateful rhetoric” at the Trump rally was “garbage.”
Biden wrote on social media later that evening, “Earlier today I referred to the hateful rhetoric about Puerto Rico spewed by Trump’s supporter at his Madison Square Garden rally as garbage—which is the only word I can think of to describe it.”
‘Makes You Look Thinner’
Although Trump addressed serious challenges America faces, much of his 75-minute rally speech made the audience laugh. As people left, they were in good spirits, some chuckling as they discussed Trump’s speech. He delivered mostly one-liners but also gave a lengthy behind-the-scenes account of events that culminated in him wearing the vest on stage.
“I’m in this beautiful plane … and one of my people said, ‘Sir, you know the word, ‘garbage,’ is the hottest thing right now … would you like to drive a garbage truck?”
At first, Trump resisted but he reconsidered, and agreed to wear the vest aboard a garbage truck, saying, “It’s sort of cool, isn’t it?”
After his campaign staff urged him to wear the vest to the rally, he again resisted. But a staffer told him: “It actually makes you look thinner.”
That remark made Trump give in. “They got me; I said, ‘I wanna wear it onstage.’” Laughter rippled across the audience.
Then he mused, that if the vest makes him look thinner, “I may never wear a blue jacket again.”
“I think it was brilliant,” rallygoer Kat Vieth, 49, said about Trump trading in his usual blue business suit for the vest.
Vieth, who made a two-hour drive from Marshfield, Wisconsin, told The Epoch Times: “I’ve never seen energy like this ever before from the Republican Party. The Democrats are running scared because they have no policies to stand on. They’re calling us garbage! We are God-loving people that love our country!”
Football Star Adds Support
Trump’s rally was held in an arena next to Lambeau Field, home of the NFL’s Green Bay Packers. NFL Hall of Fame retired Packers quarterback Brett Favre denounced the “garbage” label as he took to the stage to declare his support for Trump’s candidacy.
“I can assure you, we’re not garbage. How dare he say that,” Favre said about Biden’s remark as he surveyed the audience. “Looking out, I see police officers, teachers, nurses, grandparents, students. I see everyday Americans that make this country great.”
Favre said he had never previously participated in such an event but “it’s time,” because “people are losing hope.” The audience fell silent as Favre spoke about his fear that, if current trends continue, his grandchildren might one day face the threat of World War III.
“I have lived the American dream, but I want to make sure that future generations get to [do that] as well,” he said, adding, “If Kamala broke it, Trump will fix it.”
Trump reiterated his past promises to clamp down on illegal immigration, keep men out of women’s sports, provide tax relief, cut energy costs, and broker peace in the world.
This article was updated to add more details from the Wisconsin rally.