
After President Joe Biden referred to Trump supporters as “garbage,” President Donald Trump hit back by riding along with a sanitation crew in Wisconsin. The ride-along was a symbolic statement that Trump’s supporters are hard-working Americans who deserve respect, not ridicule.
PRESIDENT TRUMP: "How do you like my garbage truck? This truck is in honor of Kamala and Joe Biden." pic.twitter.com/7UwMZ8syvx
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) October 30, 2024
Sitting beside a sanitation worker in a garbage truck, Trump joked with reporters, “How do you like my garbage truck? This truck is in honor of Kamala and Joe Biden.” In a video from Air Force One, Trump donned a safety vest, delivering a message to Americans: “250 million people are not garbage.”
PRESIDENT TRUMP: I have to begin by saying, 250 million Americans are NOT "garbage!" pic.twitter.com/cxOQ8ji0OK
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) October 30, 2024
Biden’s comments came during a Tuesday night Zoom call, where he responded to a comedian’s joke by saying, “The only garbage I see floating out there are his supporters.” The comment sparked outrage, with critics accusing Biden of echoing Hillary Clinton’s “basket of deplorables” line from 2016. Many argue that Biden’s words dismiss millions of Americans who align with Trump’s policies.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre attempted to defuse the controversy, stating that Biden “was not speaking about Trump supporters as a whole.” However, Trump’s supporters saw his ride-along as a show of solidarity, symbolizing the values they feel Biden’s comment insulted.
https://t.co/1JybikjOC2 pic.twitter.com/PEzlrCyRj7
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) October 30, 2024
For Trump, the photo-op served to highlight his alignment with working-class Americans, a theme central to his campaign. The ride-along underscored his argument that the current administration is out of touch with the concerns of regular Americans, positioning himself as the champion of those Biden allegedly disregards.