President Joe Biden took a direct jab at GOP nominee Donald Trump on Saturday, calling him a person “you’d like to smack in the a**.”
Speaking to members of a carpenters’ union in his hometown of Scranton, Pennsylvania, Biden aimed to undermine Trump’s self-styled “macho” image.
“I know some of you guys are tempted to think he’s this macho guy,” Biden said, referencing Trump. “But I’m serious, these are the kind of guys you’d like to smack in the a**,” he added with a grin, according to the New York Post.
The remark came during a campaign stop Biden held on behalf of Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.
Emphasizing the importance of the election, he told the union members, “The stakes couldn’t be higher. I come here today to talk about what’s at stake for all of us.”
At one point, Biden was joined on stage by his granddaughter Natalie, the daughter of his late son Beau, as he discussed the potential rollback of legislation like Obamacare and the CHIPS Act by Trump and the GOP.
This latest comment from Biden follows another recent incident where he stirred controversy by referring to Trump supporters as “garbage.”
The comment came after comedian Tony Hinchcliffe joked about waste in Puerto Rico, which Biden echoed in reference to Trump’s base.
The White House later attempted to clarify Biden’s statement, revising the official transcript to imply he was only responding to Hinchcliffe’s joke. However, many interpreted Biden’s remarks as a broader swipe at Trump’s supporters, sparking criticism and debate over Biden’s rhetoric.
