The White House reiterated on Wednesday that President Joe Biden does not view Donald Trump’s supporters as “garbage,” further defending a comment Biden made at a get-out-the-vote virtual call. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said that Biden was the one who wanted to clarify the remarks. Biden put out a social media post later Tuesday evening which said he was referring to the controversial remarks made by a comedian at Trump’s rally over the weekend.
According to Jean-Pierre, President Biden has always emphasized that he will be a president for all Americans, regardless of their political affiliations. She emphasized that Biden's comments were directed at condemning the hateful rhetoric from a comedian at Trump's rally and not at Trump supporters as a whole.
“He does not view Trump supporters, or anybody who supports Trump as garbage. That is not what he views,” Jean-Pierre later added. She stressed that it was the president’s intention to speak out against the hateful rhetoric from Trump’s rally.
When asked about potential changes to the president’s schedule or event formats following the incident, Jean-Pierre stated that there were no changes to report at the moment.
President Biden's clarification comes in the midst of heightened political tensions and polarized opinions in the country. The White House's efforts to address the issue and reaffirm Biden's commitment to unity and inclusivity reflect the administration's stance on promoting civil discourse and condemning hateful speech.
