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- Dressed as a sanitation worker and stepping into the cab of a garbage truck, former President Donald Trump took aim at Democrats on Wednesday, asserting they view his supporters as “garbage.” The rally took place in Green Bay, Wisconsin, a key battleground where Trump sought to amplify his message to supporters.
TRUMP ARRIVES FOR CAMPAIGN RALLY IN A GARBAGE TRUCK!
— J Stewart (@triffic_stuff_) October 30, 2024
“How do you like my garbage truck? This truck is in honor of Kamala and Joe Biden.”
“For Joe Biden to make that statement — it’s really a disgrace” pic.twitter.com/jA9nEQKvCg
The former president’s latest swipe at the Biden administration came after what he described as a “gaffe” by President Joe Biden. The previous night, Biden criticized what he called Trump’s “demonization of Latinos” during a virtual event with Latino voters, which Trump’s team quickly framed as an insult to his supporters. Biden later clarified he was referring to inflammatory rhetoric against Latinos at a recent Madison Square Garden rally, but the Trump campaign insisted he was disparaging their base.
During his nearly 90-minute speech in Wisconsin, Trump underscored his stance by forgoing his usual attire in favor of a reflective vest. “Two hundred fifty million Americans are not garbage,” he told the crowd, an apparent nod to the U.S. population excluding Biden voters.
Trump’s actions follow recent controversies around comedian Tony Hinchcliffe’s comments at a Madison Square Garden event, which targeted Puerto Rico, calling it a “floating island of garbage.” The comment sparked outrage, with Puerto Rican artists like Bad Bunny and Ricky Martin endorsing Biden's running mate, Vice President Kamala Harris. Nicky Jam, another reggaeton artist with ties to the island, pulled his endorsement from Trump following the incident.
Vice President Harris defended Biden's comment on Wednesday, reiterating, “I strongly disagree with any criticism of people based on who they voted for.” Harris’s campaign has made efforts to appeal to moderate Republicans and independents, and she has recently appeared with Republicans distancing themselves from Trump.
Appearing at the rally, former Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre praised Trump’s supporters. “I see police officers, teachers, nurses, grandparents, students. I see everyday Americans that make this country great,” Favre said to applause.
BREAKING: Donald Trump gets picked up in Green Bay, Wisconsin by a garbage truck, just one day after Joe Biden called Trump supporters "garbage." pic.twitter.com/jqjiX6a43V
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) October 30, 2024
Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson echoed the sentiment, likening Biden’s remark to Hillary Clinton’s 2016 “basket of deplorables” comment. Johnson remarked, “They’ve called us garbage, but that’s not the first time Democrats have told Americans what they think.”
Continuing his Wisconsin appearance with a political stunt, Trump stepped off his plane in a safety vest and climbed into a garbage truck bearing his name. The former president joked about the challenge of navigating the truck's steps while “the fake news” awaited him on the tarmac, saying, “The adrenaline got me up there.”
However, when questioned, Trump did not apologize for Hinchcliffe’s remarks. “I don’t know who he is,” Trump told reporters. “He’s a comedian, what can I tell you?”
[Information sourced from The Guardian]
