A comedian performing at a Donald Trump rally has come under fire after he labelled Puerto Rico a “floating island of garbage”.
Comic Tony Hinchcliffe later said “these Latinos, they love making babies” and commented on family planning methods before Mr Trump took to the stage at New York’s Madison Square Garden on Sunday evening.
The comments sparked significant criticism including among Republican politicians.
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Maria Elvira Salazar, who represents parts of Miami for the Republicans and has participated in recent events for the Republican presidential candidate, wrote on X that she was “disgusted” by the comment.
“This rhetoric does not reflect GOP [Republican] values,” she said. “Puerto Rico sent 48,000+ soldiers to Vietnam, with over 345 Purple Hearts awarded. This bravery deserves respect. Educate yourself!”
Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who is of Puerto Rican descent and was born in New York, reacted to the comments during a live stream with Kamala Harris’s running mate Tim Walz.
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“When you have some a-hole calling Puerto Rico ‘floating garbage’, know that that’s what they think about you,” she said.
“It’s what they think about anyone who makes less money than them.”
Mr Hinchcliffe defended himself on X, accused Ms Ocasio-Cortez of having “no sense of humour” and said he loves holidaying in Puerto Rico.
Moments after Mr Hinchcliffe made the comments, rapper Bad Bunny endorsed Ms Harris, sharing a video with the Democratic candidate saying “there’s so much at stake in this election for Puerto Rican voters and for Puerto Rico”.
Luis Fonsi, a Puerto Rican artist who sings the hit Despacito, wrote on Instagram “going down this racist path ain’t it”.
Meanwhile, Ricky Martin, the Livin’ La Vida Loca singer who had previously endorsed Ms Harris, was also offended by the comment and said “that’s what they think of us”, on Instagram.
Warming up a Trump rally
Danielle Alvarez, a spokesperson for the Trump campaign, also said the joke did “not reflect the views of President Trump or the campaign”.
The row may boost the Harris campaign as it tries to bolster its support with Latino voters, among whom Trump has been working to gain ground.
The Puerto Rican vote is sizeable in Pennsylvania, which is arguably the hardest-fought of the swing states in the 2024 election.
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Other speakers at the New York rally also made incendiary comments about Ms Harris, with just more than a week to go until the election.
Mr Trump’s childhood friend David Rem referred to Ms Harris as “the Antichrist” and “the devil”.
Businessman Grant Cardone told the crowd Ms Harris “and her pimp handlers will destroy our country”.
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Among the rally’s other speakers were former professional wrestler Hulk Hogan, Tesla and X owner Elon Musk, TV psychologist Dr Phil McGraw and former Fox News host Tucker Carlson.
Melania Trump introduces her husband. Pic: Reuters
Mr Trump was introduced to the crowd by his wife Melania in a rare public appearance. He was more than more than two hours late to the event.
