Republicans and Donald Trump had to switch to damage control mode when a comedian at a rally, where he was the main speaker, made a racist comment against Puerto Ricans others in New York on Sunday.
During the event at Madison Square Garden on Sunday, Hinchcliffe remarked, “I don’t know if you guys know this, but there’s literally a floating island of garbage in the middle of the ocean right now. I think it’s called Puerto Rico.” He continued with further downgrading comments, including an obscene remark about Latino families.
It’s His Supporters, Not Puerto Rico, A Garbage: Joe Biden
The comment invited criticism from both sides of the political aisle. President Joe Biden responded on a campaign call, saying, “The only garbage I see floating out there is his supporters. His demonization of Latinos is unconscionable and un-American.”
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Trump distanced himself from the comedian, telling ABC News, “I don’t know him. Someone put him up there,” and indicated the remarks were not part of the approved speech. Campaign insiders confirmed that Hinchcliffe had diverted from his approved script, which did not contain the offensive comments.
In the fallout, prominent Puerto Rican political figure Zoraida Buxo spoke at a Trump rally in Allentown, Pennsylvania—a city with a significant Latino population—offering support for Trump’s campaign. “We won’t get rattled, we won’t yield to ignorance, foolishness, or irrational thoughtlessness,” Buxo stated, emphasizing Puerto Rican values of “family, faith, economic freedom, and deep love of country.” Speaking in both English and Spanish, she described Puerto Rico as “a beautiful island” and condemned Hinchcliffe’s comments.
Senator Marco Rubio, a prominent Latino Republican, also condemned Hinchcliffe’s comments on X, stating, “Puerto Rico isn’t garbage; it’s home to fellow American citizens who have made tremendous contributions to our country.” Rubio, clarifying that Trump did not make the remarks, referred to Hinchcliffe as an “insult comedian.”
Trump’s Campaign Team Distanced Itself
Trump’s campaign team noted that the original script had included a derogatory remark about Vice President Kamala Harris, which Hinchcliffe removed. Additional controversial remarks during the rally reportedly targeted African Americans, Palestinians, and Jewish people, undercutting Trump’s recent efforts to broaden his appeal to various communities.
The former president stated, “We bleed the same blood, we share the same hope. We are one people, one family, and one glorious nation under God.”
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