The incident occurred earlier this week after Biden responded to Tony Hinchcliffe, a comedian who made racist remarks at a Trump rally, referring to the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico as a “floating garbage island.” During a video call with Latino activists, Biden expressed his views on the situation, stating, “The only garbage I see floating there are their supporters – their Latino display is unconscious, and it’s inappropriate – American.”
However, the transcript released by the White House press office altered this phrase, replacing “supporters” with “supporters,” which officials claimed clarified that Biden was criticizing Hinchcliffe rather than millions of Americans who support Trump.
An internal email from the chief of the stenographers’ office described the modification as a violation of protocol and integrity, stating, “If there is a difference in interpretation, the press office can choose to withhold the transcript but cannot edit it independently.”
The alteration of the transcript coincided with the White House facing multiple inquiries from reporters about Biden’s remarks, which came just as Vice President Kamala Harris delivered a speech urging respectful treatment of Americans with differing ideologies.
In response to Biden’s comments, the Trump campaign swiftly organized fundraising efforts, while Trump himself staged a photo opportunity inside a garbage truck, capitalizing on the criticism aimed at Biden.
Harris distanced herself from Biden’s comments the following day, marking a notable separation from the president. “Let me be clear,” she told reporters, “I completely disagree with any criticism of how people vote.”
According to the email, the press office requested the rapid preparation of the call’s transcript amidst the growing media storm. Biden later clarified on social media that he was not referring to all Trump supporters as “garbage,” but specifically to the “hateful rhetoric” from Trump supporters at the Madison Square Garden rally.
The stenographers’ office is tasked with accurately preparing the official transcripts of both public and private presidential remarks for preservation and public distribution by the National Archives. The two-person stenography team on duty that evening stated that any edits to the transcript must be approved by their supervisor.
Although the audio of the call was not immediately accessible, the press office went ahead and published the altered transcript on the White House website, distributing it to the press and social media in an apparent attempt to mitigate the fallout.
White House deputy press secretary Andrew Bates shared the edited quote on social media, asserting that Biden was addressing the “hateful rhetoric” from Trump supporters at the Madison Square Garden rally.
Concerns over the editing were escalated to key White House communication officials, including Ben Labolt, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, and others, emphasizing the need for adherence to established protocols regarding the authenticity and validity of transcripts.
In light of the situation, House Republicans are reportedly debating launching an investigation. House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik and House Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer accused White House staff of releasing a “false transcript” of Biden’s remarks.
In a letter to White House lawyer Ed Siskel, they called for the preservation of documents and internal communications related to Biden’s comments and the transcript, stating, “White House staff cannot rewrite the words of the President of the United States to convey a more politically favorable message.”
Stefanik and Comer suggested that these actions may violate the Presidential Records Act of 1978, which mandates the preservation of presidential documents and communications.
