Donald Trump boarded a garbage truck as he hit back at comments by President Joe Biden that appeared to take aim at his supporters.
The former president - once a reality TV star known for his showmanship - walked down the steps of the Boeing 757 that bears his name on Wednesday, before climbing into the passenger seat of a white rubbish truck that also carried his name.
He did so to draw attention to a remark made a day earlier by his successor, Democratic President Joe Biden, that appeared to suggest Trump's supporters were garbage.
Trump has quickly used the remark as a cudgel against his Democratic rival, Vice President Kamala Harris, who has distanced herself from her boss’s comments.
"How do you like my garbage truck?" Trump said, wearing an orange and yellow safety vest over his white dress shirt and red tie. "This is in honour of Kamala and Joe Biden."
The truck bore the words ‘Trump 2024’ and his slogan ‘Make America great again’, while a US flag flew from the top of the cabin.
Last month at a rally Trump called the people around Harris “absolute scum” and “garbage”.
Trump and other Republicans were facing pushback against their own for comments, made by a comedian at a weekend Trump rally who disparaged Puerto Rico as a "floating island of garbage."
Trump then seized on a comment Biden made on a late Wednesday call that: "The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters."
The president had tried to clarify the comment afterwards, saying he had intended to say Trump's demonisation of Latinos was unconscionable. But it was quickly picked up on by Trump.
On Thursday, after arriving in Green Bay, Wisconsin, for an evening rally, Trump climbed into the garbage truck, carrying on a brief discussion with reporters while looking out of the window — like he did earlier this month during a photo opportunity he staged at a Pennsylvania McDonalds.
He again tried to distance himself from comedian Tony Hinchcliffe, whose joke had set off the firestorm, but Trump did not denounce it. He also said he did not need to apologie to Puerto Ricans.
"I don't know anything about the comedian," Trump said.
"I don't know who he is. I've never seen him. I heard he made a statement, but it was a statement that he made. He's a comedian, what can I tell you? I know nothing about him."
A spokesperson for Trump said the joke doesn't reflect his views, but the former president has not addressed it himself.
"I love Puerto Rico and Puerto Rico loves me," Trump said from the garbage truck.
He ended the brief appearance by telling reporters: "I hope you enjoyed this garbage truck. Thank you very much."
When he took to the stage at his Wisconsin rally a short time later, he was still wearing the orange vest.
