The U.S. White House has explained that it referred to hate speech in relation to the controversy over President Joe Biden's "trash" remarks about former President Donald Trump's supporters.
"President Biden does not see Trump supporters or anyone who supports Trump as trash," spokesman Karine Jean-Pierre said at a briefing.
"Every time there's been hateful rhetoric over the last three years or so, President Biden believed it was important to point out about it, and in that sense, this statement is nothing new," Jean-Pierre said.
"What President Biden said at the time was about the remarks of a particular comedian who unleashed hatred towards the Puerto Rican community," he said.
"President Biden believes that he is the president of all people," Jean-Pierre said.
Earlier, former President Donald Trump drew strong criticism from Democrats and others after a comedian spoke in support at a campaign rally in New York on the 27th, calling U.S. Puerto Rico a "garbage island."
Regarding the remarks, President Biden has drawn controversy by saying, "Puerto Ricans are great and honorable people," and "The only trash I see is Trump's supporters."
President Biden posted a message on social media after criticism came out that he called former President Trump trash for his remarks, explaining that "he described hate speech poured out by Trump's supporters as trash."
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