Trump Dresses as Sanitation Worker in Wisconsin, Slams Biden Over ‘Garbage’ Comment
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Former President Donald Trump took his campaign message to Green Bay, Wisconsin, on Wednesday with an unusual display: dressing as a sanitation worker and climbing into the cab of a garbage truck.
His performance aimed to drive home a point he claimed was spurred by a comment from President Joe Biden, suggesting that Democrats view Trump supporters as “garbage.”
Trump’s theatrics followed a comment Biden made the night before, which he clarified was meant to criticize a comedian’s recent remarks at Trump’s rally at Madison Square Garden.
Trump, however, seized on Biden’s words to argue that Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee, is insincere in her pledge to represent all Americans, regardless of whom they vote for.
Addressing a packed arena of supporters wearing his signature red hats, Trump ditched his usual suit jacket in favor of a reflective orange vest, fitting the theme of the evening. “I have to begin by saying 250 million Americans are not garbage,” he declared, though he didn’t explain the exact figure, which seems to represent the U.S. population minus those who voted for Biden in 2020.
Trump claimed that Biden and Harris “think of [his] supporters as garbage,” referencing Biden’s comment on a call with a Latino voter group. Biden’s comment was intended to target “hateful rhetoric” seen at Trump’s rally, but Trump and his supporters saw it differently.
Harris responded earlier, telling reporters, “I strongly disagree with any criticism of people based on who they voted for.” Harris, aiming to reach moderates and independents, has campaigned alongside Republican leaders who have distanced themselves from Trump.
But Trump’s Green Bay rally focused on Biden’s comment. Former Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre joined him on stage, drawing enthusiastic applause as he defended Trump’s supporters.
“Looking out, I see police officers, teachers, nurses, grandparents, students. I see everyday Americans that make this country great,” Favre said, adding, “I can assure you, we’re not garbage.”
Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson echoed the sentiment, comparing Biden’s comment to Hillary Clinton’s controversial “basket of deplorables” remark from 2016.
Trump’s entrance to the Green Bay event was as theatrical as his speech. Stepping off his private plane in an orange vest, he climbed into a garbage truck labeled “Trump” in bold blue letters, sharing later that he worried about the truck’s steep steps and joked that, if he fell, it would be captured by “all the fake news.”
As he recounted to the crowd, “I had the adrenaline going, and I made it.”
When pressed on the comedian Tony Hinchcliffe’s inflammatory comments about Puerto Rico, made at Trump’s New York rally, Trump remained unapologetic, saying he had no idea who Hinchcliffe was or how he was booked for the event. “He’s a comedian, what can I tell you? I know nothing about him,” Trump remarked.
. Polls show a tight race, with every rally and remark potentially tipping the balance in one of the nation’s most critical battlegrounds.
