House Republicans have raised concerns over the legality of alterations made to an official transcript of President Joe Biden's comments, possibly breaching the Presidential Records Act.

Following a contentious video call, accusations have surfaced regarding the Biden-Harris White House altering a transcript to mask a disparaging comment made by President Biden about Trump supporters, as Fox News reports.

During a video conference with the advocacy group Voto Latino, in support of Vice President Kamala Harris's campaign, President Biden reportedly labeled Trump supporters as "garbage."

This remark, initially targeting the general support base of former President Donald Trump, was part of a larger discussion aimed at rallying voter support.

Backlash ensued rapidly after the call, prompting the White House to amend the official transcript. The revision implied the comment was directed at Tony Hinchliffe, a comedian known for controversial statements, rather than the broader group of Trump supporters.

The specific changes to the transcript included the modification of "supporters" to "supporter’s" and the addition of an em-dash, suggesting the original sentence was not completed as intended.

White House Transcript Revision Draws GOP Ire

In the modified transcript, Biden's comments were redirected to criticize Hinchliffe's earlier derogatory remarks about Latinos, specifically calling Puerto Rico a "floating island of garbage" during a Trump rally. The transcript alteration was meant to emphasize that Biden's grievance was with Hinchliffe's rhetoric.

President Biden later took to the social media platform X, clarifying that his use of "garbage" was in response to Hinchliffe's specific comments about Latinos, not to Trump supporters as a whole.

This clarification on social media, however, did not quell the controversy sparked by the initial alteration of the public record.

Presidential Records Act Comes Under Spotlight

House Republican leaders, including lawmakers Elise Stefanik and James Comer, have expressed serious concerns regarding the potential violation of the Presidential Records Act, which mandates the accurate documentation of presidential records.

The leaders have formally requested that the White House Counsel's Office ensures all documents and communications related to this transcript alteration are preserved. They argue that the integrity of presidential records is at stake.

Furthermore, Stefanik and Comer have demanded that the transcript be restored to its original form to accurately reflect what was said during the video call.

Republican Leaders Criticize White House Response

In a joint statement, Stefanik and Comer criticized the White House for altering the transcript rather than addressing the president's remarks head-on. They described the administration's response as a move to politically sanitize Biden's comments, which were captured on video.

"President Biden’s vindictive words were unsurprising, given his previous statements regarding people who choose not to vote for his preferred candidate," they stated. "Unsurprising too were the White House’s actions after he said them."

They continued, stressing that White House staff cannot simply rewrite the president's words to align with a more favorable political message. This approach, they claim, undermines the legal and ethical obligations of the presidential office.

Impact and Relevance of Biden's Words Under Debate

While President Biden's relevance in the current political landscape was called into question by Republican leaders, they emphasized that his words, regardless of political standing, bear significant weight.

"Though President Biden’s relevance continues to diminish, his words continue to matter, even as they become increasingly divisive and erratic," they added. This highlights the broader implications of presidential rhetoric and its impact on public discourse.

The controversy over the altered transcript and its potential legal ramifications continues to unfold, with both sides of the political spectrum watching closely as the situation continues to develop.