President Joe Biden’s aides defended his smear of Donald Trump’s supporters Tuesday night by clarifying his words despite not speaking to the president after his unscripted comments, a report suggests.
White House aides insisted Biden’s comment that “the only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters” does not reference Trump’s supporters but comedian Tony Hinchcliffe, who made a joke during a Trump rally that the Harris campaign has latched onto.
The White House released a transcript of Biden’s remarks in a flimsy effort to suggest Biden referenced Hinchcliffe.
Axios‘s Alex Thompson reports a White House spokesperson refused to answer on the record when asked if aides had spoken to Biden before issuing the statement.
“Asked if they had spoken to the president to ask him what he meant before sending the transcript, the Biden spokesperson requested to go off the record,” Thompson wrote. “Axios declined and the White House did not respond further.”
Even before Thompson’s revelation, the White House’s characterization of Biden’s wording clearly contradicted his statement. But by refusing to confirm they had spoken with Biden after his gaffe, the already tenuous official White House clarification of Biden’s comments is further undermined.
It is unknown how Biden’s aides could have divined his intent — in unwritten, off-the-cuff remarks — without having spoken to him. And the White House’s bungled response simply adds fuel to the fire.
Vice President Kamala Harris has not commented on the escalating scandal, which has overshadowed her Tuesday night rally — intended to be her final appeal to voters — and threatens to derail her campaign.
Biden’s remarks are already being compared to Hillary Clinton’s “basket of deplorable” comment about Trump’s supporters in 2016. Trump went on to win that election.
Bradley Jaye is a Capitol Hill Correspondent for Breitbart News. Follow him on X/Twitter at @BradleyAJaye.