With less than a week to go until the United States presidential election, both Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are pulling out all the stops in an attempt to win over voters, with the latter resorting to appearing in a garbage truck.
Trump got off his private plane in Green Bay, Wisconsin on Wednesday evening and, donning a bright orange safety vest, got into a garbage truck in an attempt to troll Joe Biden and Harris.
Just days after comedian Tony Hinchcliffe sparked controversy at Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally for comments about Puerto Rico, the former president again tried to show that he was in touch with the common man by doing a regular job.
Speaking to members of the press at the photo-op, Trump said “How do you like my garbage truck?” adding that it was “in honour of Kamala and Joe Biden” and proceeded to say the president “should be ashamed of himself”.
Trump was referring to a claim that Biden had called his supporters “garbage,” something that the president has denied.
Images and clips of Trump’s stunt soon went viral on social media with many pointing out that putting your name on a garbage truck doesn’t create the best optics.
Chiming in with one of the strongest put downs was former Star Trek actor, George Takei, who played Lt Hikaru Sulu in numerous TV shows and films since 1966.
Taking a swipe at Trump, the 87-year-old referred to the “dumpster fire” metaphor, writing on X/Twitter: “In fairness, it’s not really a Trump garbage truck until it’s on fire.”
In fairness, it’s not really a Trump garbage truck until it’s on fire.
— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) October 31, 2024
Takei wasn’t the only one taking shots at Trump for the stunt.
His niece, Mary, who is an outspoken critic of her uncle, wrote: “Hm, interesting choice to place the garbage in the front of the truck.”
Former Trump aide Alyssa Farah Griffin ran through how she felt the Republican candidate’s outing went in a post on X: “Is it an effective stunt? No. He’s assuming voters hear ‘garbage’ & think of Biden’s gaffe.. but Trump campaign’s Puerto Rico debacle is much deeper in the zeitgeist. A total fail.”
She added: “Trump platforms offensive joke leading to days of outrage; Trump tries to clean it up on Fox; Biden steps in it, unintentionally gives Trump a lifeline; Trump’s genius campaign: ‘Let’s remind everyone we offended Puerto Ricans & called America garbage by driving a garbage truck!’”
Harris spokesperson Sarafina Chitika posted: “The candidate who called America a ‘trash can’; Whose rally called Puerto Rico ‘garbage’; Is riding around in a garbage truck for fun. Is this an in-kind donation to @KamalaHQ?”
Voting in the election will close on Tuesday (5 November) with polls showing that Trump and Harris are virtually neck and neck in the race for the White House.
