Biden Mocked by Conservatives for Claiming Airline Junk Fees Target People of Color

United States President Joe Biden drew criticism from conservatives for a portion of a speech he made on Wednesday which focused on combating inflation and lowering costs for Americans by taking on “junk fees.” On Wednesday, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) revealed a plan to tackle such fees on deposit accounts.

Conservatives are blasting Biden after a speech he made on combatting junk fees. The White House announced on Wednesday that they will begin tackling hidden bank fees, hidden charges and added fees on cable bills, as well as junk fees in the airline and hotel industries.

During the speech, however, Biden made a comment in which he claimed that for some airlines if “you want six more inches between you and the seat in front, you pay more money. But you don’t know it until you purchase your ticket. Look folks, these are junk fees, they’re unfair, and they hit marginalized Americans the hardest, especially low-income folks and people of color.”

“They benefit big corporations, not consumers, not working families,” added the president.

Conservative critics of the president took to Twitter to ridicule his statement, with one user writing: “Not sure if he is calling the black population stupid, or poor, or what. But what a generalization, and kind of racist remark.”

Paying extra for leg room on airplanes is racist? I had no idea. pic.twitter.com/Nz52Tt3QmI

— Kimberly Klacik (@kimKBaltimore) October 26, 2022

The remark made by the president reminded one user of when Biden said that “poor kids are just as bright and talented as white kids” in 2019 when he was vice president.

I have long felt that airline seating is extraordinarily unfair to oversized people such as myself and warrants Federal intervention. Thanks to @POTUS for giving this crucial issue the attention it deserves. (For those lacking a sense of humor, this is called sarcasm) https://t.co/yn3KPJo5yC

— Glenn Jacobs (@GlennJacobsTN) October 26, 2022

Things are looking bad for Democrats, but will the message of "airlines charging extra for more legroom hurts minorities" turn things around? https://t.co/KFKFHZ1gLw

— Frank J. Fleming (@IMAO_) October 26, 2022

On Wednesday, the CFPB announced that they would be issuing guidance on junk fee practices they deem unfair and unlawful, including surprise overdraft fees on debit accounts if the bank authorized the charge and charging depositor fees on people who deposit checks that bounce.