Former President Donald Trump is accusing his Democrat rival, Vice President Kamala Harris, of running a "campaign of hate," rather than an effort like his, which features "positive solutions to save America."
His comments, posted on Truth Social and X came after a quickly-walked back comment from President Joe Biden on Tuesday night that appeared to refer to the GOP nominee's supporters as "garbage."
"She has spent all week comparing her political opponents to the most evil mass murderers in history. Now, on top of everything, Joe Biden calls our supporters 'garbage,'" Trump said in his statement. "You can't lead America if you don't love the American People. Kamala Harris and Joe Biden have shown they are both unfit to be President of the United States."
He continued that he is "proud to lead the biggest, broadest, and most important political coalition in American history."
"We are welcoming historic numbers of Latinos, African Americans, Asian Americans, and citizens of every race, religion, color, and creed," he said. "It is my desire to be the President of all the people."
Biden's comments were made in response to a joke from comedian Tony Hinchcliffe at Trump's Madison Square Garden rally Sunday. Hinchcliffe referred to Puerto Rico as a "floating island of garbage," drawing outcry from the Puerto Rican community and Democrats.
Biden, during a video outreach call for Latino supporters, said that those in the Puerto Rican community are "good, decent, honorable people" and added that the "only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters."
The White House quickly issued a clarification to the statement.
Spokesman Andrew Bates said that Biden was referring "to the hateful rhetoric at the Madison Square Garden rally as garbage."
It also sent out a transcript in an attempt to show that Biden had made a gaffe, and Biden posted a clarification on X.
A senior Trump campaign official told NBC News that the campaign acted quickly to make Trump aware of the comment while he was in the middle of speaking at a rally in Allentown, Pennsylvania.
Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., who was scheduled to go on stage, was given a note with the contents of Biden's remark, and read it to Trump.
"That's terrible. That's what it says," the GOP nominee said in response.
Trump then reminded the audience of Hillary Clinton's "basket of deplorables" remark during the 2016 campaign, which she made to refer to "half" of Trump's supporters.
"Garbage, I think, is worse, right?" Trump said at the rally. "But he doesn't know. You have to please forgive him. Please forgive him, for he not knoweth what he said."
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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