White House under fire for altering official remarks in Trump-related controversy
President Joe Biden’s recent remarks to a group of Latino activists triggered significant backlash after a transcript released by the White House appeared to take aim at supporters of Donald Trump.
The incident unfolded after a speech in which Biden responded to racist remarks made at a Trump rally by comedian Tony Hinchcliffe, who referred to Puerto Rico as a “floating island of garbage.”
The controversial statement
According to the White House stenographers’ transcript, Biden told the Latino activists during a video call, “The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters — his — his demonization of Latinos is unconscionable, and it’s un-American.” This version of the quote positioned the President’s criticism as directed at Trump’s supporters, sparking outrage.
Apostrophe oversight fuels uproar
A key point of contention was the rendering of the word “supporters.” The initial White House transcript, which included an apostrophe, read “supporter’s,” suggesting Biden’s criticism was aimed specifically at Hinchcliffe rather than the broad base of Trump supporters.
This discrepancy led to allegations of unauthorized edits, raising questions about transparency and transcript integrity.
An Associated Press report revealed that the adjustment was made after consultation with the President, an action denounced by the Stenography Office as a breach of protocol.
An internal email from the office’s head stated, “The Press Office’s handling of this matter undermines the trust between the Stenography Office and the Press Office and jeopardizes transcript integrity.”
Reactions from all sides
In response to the remarks, many Trump supporters expressed outrage. “We’re not garbage, we’re not trash. We’re the American people,” said Heather Johnson, speaking outside a Trump rally in North Carolina. She likened the situation to Hillary Clinton’s infamous “deplorables” comment, suggesting it reflected poorly on the Biden campaign’s approach to political discourse.
Vice President Kamala Harris, currently running for the Democratic presidential nomination, sought to distance herself from the controversy. Meanwhile, critics of the President’s policies, like Trump supporter Chad Solomon, pointed to issues such as inflation, the border crisis, and foreign policy failures as broader reasons for their disapproval.
The editing of President Biden’s statement and the subsequent public reaction underscore the high stakes of political rhetoric in a polarized environment. The White House’s response to the backlash will likely play a role in shaping the narrative as the 2024 election campaign continues.