Former President Donald Trump made a bold statement on Wednesday, riding in a garbage truck on his way to a rally in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

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The move was a pointed response to Joe Biden’s recent comments in which he referred to Trump’s supporters as “garbage.”

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Trump, who wore an orange safety vest, waved from the passenger window as he called out Biden’s rhetoric and reaffirmed his commitment to “bring the country back.”

“Hello everybody. This is Donald Trump, and 250 million people are not garbage,” Trump said before he sat in the garbage truck, decorated with “TRUMP” and “MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN” banners.

From the truck’s window, he asked the press, “How do you like my garbage truck?”

Trump emphasized that the ride was “in honor of Kamala and Joe Biden” and declared, “250 million people are going to be very happy because we’re going to bring the country back.”

Trump’s choice of a garbage truck quickly gained traction on social media, where supporters praised the former president for connecting with everyday Americans.

Trump has taken the comment as a broad insult, drawing a parallel to Hillary Clinton’s infamous “basket of deplorables” remark in 2016, which Clinton used to describe many of Trump’s supporters.

At a North Carolina rally held earlier on Wednesday, Trump addressed the situation, saying, “This week, Kamala has been comparing her political opponents to the most evil mass murderers in history… then, on a call for her campaign last night, Joe Biden finally said what he and Kamala really think of our supporters. He called them garbage, and they mean it.”

Trump emphasized that he believes Biden’s and Harris’s dismissive language reveals a lack of respect for ordinary Americans. “My response to Joe and Kamala is very simple: You can’t lead America if you don’t love Americans,” he said.

Trump used the opportunity to thank sanitation workers across the country, saying that his supporters “are the heart and soul of America.”

The imagery of the garbage truck ride was unmistakable, representing his intent to “clean up Washington” and address what he views as failures in leadership from the Biden-Harris administration.

Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) weighed in on the situation, saying, “The Biden-Harris economy is so bad that seniors have to work two jobs just to make ends meet.”

Vivek Ramaswamy, another prominent conservative, doubled down by physically picking up trash as part of his support for Trump’s message.

The Biden-Harris campaign attempted to counter the imagery, with a spokesperson for Kamala Harris, Ian Sams, comparing Trump’s garbage truck stunt to former Democratic candidate Michael Dukakis’s infamous tank photo op in 1988, which was widely mocked.

However, conservative commentators argued that Trump’s garbage truck ride was not only memorable but effectively underscored his message to “take out the trash” in Washington.

Alyssa Farah Griffin, political commentator on The View, suggested that Biden’s words were not directed at all Trump supporters but only at the comedian.

Yet, in response, she limited comments on her social media post, further fueling the narrative among Trump supporters that the Biden-Harris team is out of touch with Americans.

The incident reflects the heightened tension as the election approaches, with both campaigns deploying symbolic actions and statements to appeal to voters.

Trump’s bold statement in Green Bay, drawing supporters and social media praise, highlights his strategy to portray himself as the voice of everyday Americans standing up to the political establishment.

Concluding his remarks, Trump reiterated, “You can’t lead America if you don’t love Americans.”

His garbage truck statement aligns with his broader campaign narrative that aims to connect with voters who feel overlooked by the current administration.

With less than two weeks until Election Day, the symbolism has resonated among conservatives, while Biden and Harris seek to clarify their intentions amid a heated campaign season.

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