Biden's Controversial Remarks Draw Republican Criticism

President Joe Biden sparked controversy by referring to Donald Trump supporters as 'garbage' during a Zoom call, which he made in response to a comedian's derogatory comments about Puerto Rico. House Republicans, led by Elise Stefanik and James Comer, accused the White House of releasing a false transcript of Biden's remarks and demanded that records be preserved, warning that this could violate the Presidential Records Act. The White House, represented by press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, denied that Biden was referring to Trump supporters, claiming he was addressing the comedian's hateful rhetoric instead. However, Biden's comments drew backlash from both Republican and some Democratic figures, with Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz distancing themselves from his statements. The incident has been compared to similar remarks made by Hillary Clinton in 2016, with media outlets highlighting the political ramifications just days before the presidential election. Biden later attempted to clarify his remarks on social media, stating that he was referring specifically to the comedian's words and did not intend to insult all Trump supporters.