Donald Trump arrived in Wisconsin for an evening rally on Thursday riding in a refuse truck and wearing a safety vest.
The truck was emblazoned with Trump’s name and draped in his campaign’s colours and insignia.
The theatrics from the former president were in response to a gaffe from President Joe Biden.
“The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters,” Biden had said.
Biden spoke on Tuesday during a fundraising Zoom call with a Latino voters’ group.
His comments were a clapback at a comedian who described Puerto Rico as a “floating island of garbage” at a Trump rally.
The president’s remarks armed the Trump campaign with more ammunition to dent more holes in the Kamala Harris campaign — a setback for the Democratic nominee just a week before the election.
Biden immediately tried to clarify his remarks on X, saying he only referred to Trump’s “demonization of Latinos”.
Presidential aides have also tried to defuse the controversy.
The White House released a transcript saying Biden was only referring to one supporter — the stand-up comedian.
Karine Jean-Pierre, press secretary, said Biden does not view Trump’s supporters as garbage.
The damage control has had little effect.
“How do you like my garbage truck?” Trump asked reporters. “This is in honour of Kamala and Joe Biden.”
“This week, Kamala has been comparing her political opponents to the most evil mass murderers in history, and now, speaking on a call for her campaign last night, crooked Joe Biden finally said what he and Kamala really think of our supporters. He called them garbage. No way!” Trump said at the rally.
Some Trump supporters who attended the rally arrived with bin bags and booed Harris as the Republican nominee delivered his speech.
Harris has since distanced herself from Biden’s comments.
The vice-president said Biden had already sought to “clarify his comments”.
“But let me be clear. I strongly disagree with any criticism of people based on who they vote for,” she said.
Harris added that she would be “a president for all Americans, including those that don’t vote for me”.
BIDEN’S PLETHORA OF GAFFES
After withdrawing from the presidential race in July due to a poor debate performance, Biden has been largely absent from Harris’ campaign trail.
Harris has restated that should she win the election, her administration would not be a continuation of Biden’s.
Last week, Biden threw another gaffe in the mix when he told Democratic campaign workers in New Hampshire that: “We gotta lock him (Trump) up”.
“Politically lock him up. Lock him out. That’s what we have to do,” the president said after checking himself.
Harris’ supporters now chant “lock him up” at her rallies, but she always quietens the refrain by telling the crowd: “The courts will take care of that.”
Biden has also mixed up who is running for president.
“We got a lot more work to do, Kamala and I — Kamala — Kamala does,” Biden said.
According to FiveThirtyEight’s national poll tracker, as of Wednesday, Harris continues to lead nationally by about 1.4 points.
However, this lead is within the margin of error, indicating that the race remains highly competitive and in a dead heat.
In six of the seven swing states, the candidates are within two points of each other, which also falls within the polls’ margins of error, making each state a toss-up.
