The Associated Press has reported that the White House altered the transcript of President Joe Biden's remark that appeared to call Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's supporters "garbage."

The news agency reported this on Thursday, quoting US officials.

During a video call on Tuesday, Biden denounced a comedian at a Trump rally who called the US territory of Puerto Rico "a floating island of garbage."

Some US media outlets reported that Biden said, "The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters."

The White House later released a transcript of his comment for clarification with an apostrophe in the word supporters.

It now reads "his supporter's" demonization of Latinos -- referring to the comedian's comments.

AP reports that in a transcript of Biden's comments prepared by the official stenographers, he appears to have referred to Trump supporters as garbage, but the press office changed the text.

In an internal email obtained by AP, the head of the stenographers' office said the change was made after the press office conferred with the president, and the office cannot edit the transcript independently.

Trump is stepping up attacks on Biden over his remark. The AP report could become a fresh point of contention with only five days to go before the presidential election.