Donald Trump Stages Garbage Truck Photo-Op to Criticize Biden Remark

In an attempt to draw focus to a critical remark made by President Joe Biden, former President Donald Trump staged an unusual publicity stunt where he briefly boarded a garbage truck. Trump has seized on Biden mentioning that the “only garbage floating out there” refers to Trump supporters, using it as a line of attack against the current president and vice president Kamala Harris.

Seeking to keep the offensive comment in the headlines, Trump travelled to Green Bay, Wisconsin for a campaign-style rally. Upon his arrival, cameras followed as he climbed the steps of his personal Boeing jet and walked across the rain-soaked tarmac. Trump then entered the passenger seat of a decorated garbage truck bearing his name.

Sitting inside the vehicle, Trump engaged with reporters through the window. Similar to a staged event he did earlier onboarding a McDonald’s, the encounter aimed to draw visual interest to his criticism of Biden. Trump also faced pushback for not denouncing an offensive joke made by a comedian at one of his own rallies disparaging Puerto Rico.

While Trump claimed no knowledge of the comedian, he did not apologize to Puerto Ricans as many felt he should. Prior remarks made about the territory by the former president, including treating it like a “floating island of garbage”, have drawn accusations of racism.

After the brief photo opportunity inside the garbage truck wrapped up, Trump continued on to deliver a campaign-style speech to supporters at the evening rally in Green Bay. However, the stunt succeeded in its goal of generating headlines focusing discussion on Biden’s earlier comment, keeping the offensive language in the media cycle for another day.