Donald Trump Responds to Puerto Rico Remarks at New York Rally

Former President Donald Trump has distanced himself from a comment about Puerto Rico made by a speaker at his Sunday rally at Madison Square Garden in New York.
Comedian Tony Hinchcliffe sparked widespread backlash after he described the U.S. territory as an “island of floating garbage.”
On Tuesday, Trump told ABC News’ Rachel Scott, “I don’t know him. Someone put him up there. I don’t know who he is.”
The Republican presidential nominee said he did not hear any of Hinchcliffe’s controversial jokes. ABC News reported that when pressed, Trump did not denounce Hinchcliffe’s remarks but repeated that he had not heard them.
Following the rally, a Trump campaign spokesperson said: “This joke does not reflect the views of President Trump or the campaign.”
Newsweek reached out to a representative for Trump via email and Hinchliffe via direct message on X, formerly Twitter.
Hinchcliffe responded to criticisms about his jokes from Harris’ running mate Tim Walz with a defiant message on X.
“These people have no sense of humor. Wild that a vice presidential candidate would take time out of his “busy schedule” to analyze a joke taken out of context to make it seem racist. I love Puerto Rico and vacation there. I made fun of everyone…watch the whole set. I’m a comedian Tim…might be time to change your tampon,” he wrote.
Some Republicans have nicknamed Walz “Tampon Tim” in response to his signing a bill as governor of Minnesota that required free menstrual products stocked in school bathrooms.
During his set, Hinchcliffe also referenced racist tropes about Black people and watermelons, called Palestinians rock-throwers, invoked an antisemitic trope that Jewish people are stingy with money and said that Latinos “love making babies.”
Hinchcliffe’s comment about Puerto Rico sparked widespread criticism, prompting several Puerto Rican celebrities, including Jennifer Lopez, Bad Bunny and Ricky Martin, to publicly endorse Kamala Harris.
Trump is due to hold a rally in Allentown, Pennsylvania, tonight in a push to win over voters in the key battleground state. The state has a sizable Puerto Rican population, and protesters are reportedly planning to mobilize against the rally.
After Hinchcliffe’s remarks garnered attention, the Harris campaign quickly launched a new ad targeting the comments.
“I will never forget what Donald Trump did. He abandoned the island and offered nothing more than paper towels and insults,” Kamala Harris said in the ad, referencing Trump’s lack of support for the island during Hurricane Maria.
“Puerto Ricans deserve better,” she said.
Hinchcliffe’s joke generated criticism from across the political spectrum, with several Republicans also publicly denouncing it.
In a post on X, Florida Senator Rick Scott said: “This joke bombed for a reason. It’s not funny and it’s not true. Puerto Ricans are amazing people and amazing Americans! I’ve been to the island many times. It’s a beautiful place. Everyone should visit! I will always do whatever I can to help any Puerto Rican in Florida or on the island.”
Florida Representative María Elvira Salazar also criticized the joke on X, writing that she was “disgusted by Tony Hinchcliffe’s racist comment.”
Update 10/29/24, 11:40 a.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.