Former President Donald Trump was greeted with a “big, beautiful MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN Garbage Truck” at a Wisconsin airport Wednesday. “How do you like my garbage truck?” Trump asked reporters while seated in the passenger seat of the MAGA-themed garbage truck, wearing an orange safety vest as it drove around the tarmac.
“This truck is in honor of Kamala and Joe Biden.” “The only garbage I see floating is his supporters. His demonizing of Latinos is unconscionable and un-American,” Biden said during a call with the Voto Latino Group. Meanwhile, Harris addressed a gathering at the Ellipse in Washington, DC, emphasizing the Democratic Party’s commitment to unifying the nation.
Trump Gives It Back
Republicans condemned Biden’s insult, quickly recalling then-Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton’s 2016 comment that half of Trump’s supporters belonged in a “basket of deplorables.”
In an attempt to dilute the comment, Biden and the White House modified the official transcript, adding an apostrophe to “supporters” to imply he was only referring to Hinchcliffe. The president also sought to clarify his statement on X, saying, “His demonization of Latinos is unconscionable. That’s all I meant to say.”
The Harris-Walz campaign quickly released an ad linking Hinchcliffe’s comment to the aftermath of Hurricane Maria in 2017, with Harris narrating: “I will never forget what Donald Trump did. He abandoned the island and offered nothing more than paper towels and insults.”
Trump has since distanced himself from Hinchcliffe, who faced significant bipartisan criticism following his remarks.
Trump Plays Smart
When asked if he owed Puerto Rico an apology, Trump, seated in the garbage truck, claimed he didn’t know “anything about a comedian” and expressed his “love” for the Caribbean island.
“Nobody has done more for Puerto Rico than me. I took care of them when they had the big hurricanes. Nobody gets along better with Puerto Rico and the Puerto Rican people than me. They love me and I love them,” he said.
“I don’t know anything about the comedian. I don’t know who he is. I heard he made a statement but it’s a statement that he made. He’s a comedian. What can I tell you? You put comedians up, and I guess he went on early in the show.”
Hinchcliffe has since stood by his controversial comment, claiming that it was meant as a joke.
The garbage truck is trailing the motorcade on the way to Trump’s rally in Green Bay, where the former president is scheduled to speak later this evening.