Republicans are blasting President Joe Biden for calling supporters of former President Donald Trump “garbage,” but Biden insists his comments are being misinterpreted.

In a call organized by the Hispanic advocacy group Voto Latino, Biden spoke about a comic at Trump's rally who called Puerto Rico a "floating island of garbage." Biden's initial comments were garbled.

"Just the other day, a speaker at his rally called Puerto Rico a floating island of garbage. Well, let me tell you something, I don't, I don't know the Puerto Rican that I know, the Puerto Rico where I'm fr -- in my home state of Delaware. They're good, decent honorable people," he said.

What the president said next is being hotly debated. 

Some believed Biden attacked Trump’s supporters when he said: "The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters. His demonization of Latinos is unconscionable, and it's un-American. It's totally contrary to everything we've done, everything we've been."

However, White House spokesman Andrew Bates said Biden "referred to the hateful rhetoric at the Madison Square Garden rally as 'garbage.'"

The White House released a transcript in which the placement of an apostrophe indicates Biden was speaking about a single person -- the comedian behind the controversial joke, Tony Hinchcliffe.

“The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporter’s -- his -- his demonization of Latinos is unconscionable, and it's un-American,” according to the transcript.

Biden also took to social media to personally clarify what he said.

"Earlier today I referred to the hateful rhetoric about Puerto Rico spewed by Trump's supporter at his Madison Square Garden rally as garbage — which is the only word I can think of to describe it," he posted on X. "His demonization of Latinos is unconscionable. That's all I meant to say. The comments at that rally don't reflect who we are as a nation."

Attacking Trump’s supporters would be at odds with the message Democratic nominee Kamala Harris is seeking to present as she aims to cast a broad appeal, including to disaffected Republicans. Shortly after Biden's comments, Harris spoke from the Ellipse in Washington, vowing to be a president who would unite the country.

"I pledge to be a president for all Americans," said Harris, who is Biden's vice president, adding: "Unlike Donald Trump, I don't believe people who disagree with me are the enemy. He wants to put them in jail. I'll give them a seat at my table."

Harris on Wednesday said that she "strongly" disagrees with denigrating people because of which candidate they support.

"I strongly disagree with any criticism of people based on who they vote for," the vice president said. "You heard my speech last night: I believe the work that I do is about representing all the people, whether they support me or not. I will be a President for all Americans."

Trump recently made headlines for saying the National Guard or U.S. military should be deployed on Election Day to handle “the enemy from within,” whom he described as “radical left lunatics.” He also has said he'd every right to prosecute his political foes if he's reelected and has called for members of the House committee that investigated the violent riot at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, to be indicted.

Republicans quickly seized on Biden's remark. Trump called up Florida Sen. Marco Rubio during his rally in Allentown, Pennsylvania, to recount what happened.

"Moments ago Joe Biden stated that our supporters, our patriots, are garbage," Rubio said. "He's talking about everyday Americans who love their country."

Trump campaign spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said in a subsequent statement, "There's no way to spin it: Joe Biden and Kamala Harris don't just hate President Trump, they despise the tens of millions of Americans who support him."

A Trump campaign fundraising text declared, "KAMALA'S BOSS JOE BIDEN JUST CALLED ALL MY SUPPORTERS GARBAGE!" before ensuring recipients that Trump himself thinks, "YOU ARE AMAZING!"

Even some prominent Democrats began distancing themselves from Biden's comments. Speaking on CNN, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said he would "never insult the good people of Pennsylvania or any Americans even if they chose to support a candidate that I didn't support."

The comments recalled then-Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton dismissing Trump supporters during a 2016 fundraiser in New York by saying that half would fit into a " basket of deplorables."

Clinton later called that characterization "grossly generalistic." But it became a defiant rallying cry for many Trump backers who said the insult encapsulated the elitist attitudes of Clinton and the Democrats.

As reactions to Biden's remarks began to fly, meanwhile, Trump was asked in an interview Tuesday night with Fox News Channel's Sean Hannity about the racist and vulgar joke at his New York rally. He responded: "Somebody said there was a comedian that joked about Puerto Rico or something. And I have no idea who he is."

The former president added, "I can't imagine it's a big deal."

At a rally Tuesday in Allentown, Pennsylvania, a city with a large Hispanic population, Trump repeated his claim that Biden's immigration policies have allowed other countries to treat the U.S. like "a giant garbage can."

With Election Day now just a week off, Biden has worked to maintain relevance, furiously promoting his administration's accomplishments while Harris in her race against Trump.

But his efforts to remain in the political spotlight might not always be so helpful for the top of the Democratic ticket he's now promoting. That's because, while Harris has been sharply critical of Trump for months, repeatedly calling him "unstable" and "unhinged" and even suggesting that he was " fascist," she has been careful not to decry his supporters.

In fact, the vice president has campaigned extensively with former Republican Rep. Liz Cheney and other former GOP elected officials — hoping to woo conservative crossover voters. The Democratic convention — and Harris ads — have highlighted the stories of everyday Americans who talked about having voted for Trump in the past but now say they are supporting the vice president.

On Tuesday's call, Biden also said that Trump "doesn't give a damn about the Latino community" and urged rejection of the former president even as Trump's campaign says its support is rising among Hispanics, particularly men.

"Vote to keep Donald Trump out of the White House," Biden said. "He's a true danger to, not just Latinos but to all people. Particularly those who are in a minority in this country."