White House cleans up Biden's 'garbage' comment as Trump seizes on it

The White House and Vice President Kamala Harris' run connected Wednesday continued to do cleanable up from President Joe Biden's "garbage" comment, moreover arsenic erstwhile President Donald Trump seized connected it and nan contention dominated nan news cycle, distracting from Harris' "closing argument."

On Tuesday night, Biden seemed to telephone Trump supporters arsenic "garbage" during a run telephone hosted by nan nonprofit Voto Latino.

"And conscionable nan different day, a speaker astatine his rally called Puerto Rico a 'floating land of garbage,'" Biden said, according to a video clip from nan fundraiser that aired connected CNN.

"I don't -- I -- I don't cognize nan Puerto Rican that -- that I cognize -- aliases a Puerto Rico, wherever I'm fr- -- successful my location authorities of Delaware, they're good, decent, honorable people. The only garbage I spot floating retired location is his supporters -- his -- his demonization of Latinos is unconscionable, and it's un-American. It's wholly contrary to everything we've done, everything we've been," Biden said.

U.S. President Joe Biden delivers a reside successful a video footage successful Washington, Oct. 29, 2024, successful this surface drawback obtained from handout video.

Votolatino via Reuters

His comments quickly drew occurrence from Republicans and came conscionable arsenic Harris was delivering her closing statement reside adjacent connected nan Ellipse, calling for Americans to move nan page connected hateful rhetoric and section successful American politics.

Vice President and Democratic statesmanlike campaigner Kamala Harris speaks connected The Ellipse conscionable southbound of nan White House successful Washington, D.C, connected Oct. 29, 2024.

Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images

At a run rally successful Mount Rock, North Carolina, connected Wednesday, Trump tied Harris to Biden's comments.

"Now speaking connected a telephone for her run past night, Joe Biden yet said what he and Kamala really deliberation of our supporters. He called them garbage. And they mean it," Trump said.

"Even though without mobility my supporters are acold higher value than Crooked Joe aliases Lyin' Kamala," Trump said. "My consequence to Joe and Kamala is very simple: you can't lead America if you don't emotion Americans."

Republican statesmanlike nominee, erstwhile U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a run event, Oct. 30, 2024, successful Rocky Mount, North Carolina.

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Biden himself posted a explanation connected Tuesday night, saying that his remark was astir nan comedian who made nan joke and "referred to nan hateful rhetoric astir Puerto Rico spewed by Trump's protagonist astatine his Madison Square Garden rally arsenic garbage -- which is nan only connection I tin deliberation of to picture it."

"His demonization of Latinos is unconscionable. That's each I meant to say. The comments astatine that rally don't bespeak who we are arsenic a nation," Biden said successful nan station connected X.

At her regular briefing, reporters pressed White House property caput Karine Jean-Pierre astir Biden's comments.

"No, he does not position Trump supporters aliases anybody who supports Trump arsenic garbage," Jean-Pierre insisted.

"The president has said this for much than 3 years now, he has said aggregate times that he is simply a president for all. It doesn't matter if you unrecorded successful a reddish state, it doesn't matter if you unrecorded successful a bluish state."

When asked whether Biden misspoke aliases regrets his remarks, Jean-Pierre answered nan president "clarified what he said" to guarantee it was not "taken retired of context."

"He took nan other measurement to clarify. And, you know, you don't spot that from galore elected officials, you surely didn't spot that from nan erstwhile president. And this president wanted to make judge it was not taken retired of context," Jean-Pierre said.

Jean-Pierre said nan president said to Harris Tuesday nighttime aft her reside to congratulate her. She wouldn't say, though, if Biden had apologized aliases made immoderate reference to his remark erstwhile they spoke.

For her part, Harris tried to region herself from nan comments. In an question and reply pinch ABC News Chief White House Correspondent Mary Bruce, Harris was asked really she felt erstwhile she heard his "garbage" remark.

"Well, first of all, I deliberation that nan president has explained what he meant," Harris told Bruce. "But I said it earlier, I powerfully disagree pinch immoderate disapproval of nan group based connected who they ballot for and I've made that clear passim my career, including my reside past nighttime earlier I deliberation this each happened, which is I intend to beryllium president for each Americans, and including those who whitethorn not ballot for maine successful this election."

But this incident isn't nan first clip nan White House and Harris' run has had to play cleanable up aft a Biden gaffe raised eyebrows. Just past week Biden was talking astir Trump and said, "We gotta fastener him up. Politically fastener him up."

The comments besides travel arsenic Biden is readying to recreation to battleground Pennsylvania doubly later this week – for run and charismatic events. Jean-Pierre said that for now location are now plans to set his schedule.

ABC News' Kelsey Walsh, Will McDuffie and Alexandra Hurtzler contributed to this report.