Days before a closely contested United States presidential election, Donald Trump’s campaign is embroiled in controversy following offensive remarks made by comedian Tony Hinchcliffe at a rally in New York City.
Addressing the crowd at Madison Square Garden, Hinchcliffe referred to Puerto Rico as a “floating island of garbage” and made derogatory comments about Latino communities, sparking condemnation from Puerto Rican voters and political leaders across the country.
Hinchcliffe’s performance at the rally on Sunday included remarks that Latinos “love making babies” and likened their presence in the US to an “invasion.” The statements triggered a backlash, with prominent Puerto Rican public figures and politicians, including Vice President Kamala Harris, denouncing the comments as divisive and offensive. Hinchcliffe has since defended his statements, claiming they were meant as jokes and criticizing those who found them offensive as lacking “a sense of humor.”
In response, Harris rebuked the rally for its tone, stating, “Donald Trump’s event last night highlighted a point I’ve been making throughout this campaign—he is focused on grievances and divisive rhetoric.” Harris’s running mate, Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz, added that Puerto Ricans, despite residing in a US territory without full voting representation, serve in the military at notably high rates.
Campaign responses amid fallout
The Trump campaign has sought to distance itself from the controversy. Campaign adviser Danielle Alvarez stated that Hinchcliffe’s joke “does not reflect the views of President Trump or the campaign,” though some campaign figures, like spokesperson Karoline Leavitt, labeled the backlash “an overreaction.” Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance further defended Hinchcliffe, remarking, “People are getting so offended at every little thing.”
This controversy comes just days after Trump referred to the United States as the “garbage can of the world” while discussing immigration. The rhetoric is reminiscent of Trump’s infamous “s***hole countries” comment in 2018, which stirred controversy when he criticized immigration from several countries, including El Salvador and Haiti.
Impact on Puerto Rican voters in key states
The remarks could impact Trump’s standing with Puerto Rican voters, particularly in battleground states where their votes may sway the election outcome. Pennsylvania, with its 486,000 residents of Puerto Rican origin, is pivotal in the race. Polls from FiveThirtyEight show Harris leading Trump by a narrow 1.4 percentage points nationwide, yet in Pennsylvania, Trump has a slim 0.2 percentage point lead. According to Steve Herman, chief national correspondent at Voice of America, the outcome in Pennsylvania “will be absolutely critical,” given the state’s 19 Electoral College votes.
“Even a small swing of Puerto Rican voters toward Harris could make the difference,” Herman said, noting that Pennsylvania’s Puerto Rican population makes up about 3.7 percent of the state’s total, potentially significant in a race this close.
The influence of Puerto Rican voters extends beyond Pennsylvania. In Georgia, another battleground state where Trump leads by less than 2 percentage points, there are more than 131,000 Puerto Rican residents, representing over 1 percent of the state’s population. Similar demographics exist in North Carolina, also a swing state, where Puerto Rican voters could be influential in tipping the scales.
Puerto Rican's influence
The Puerto Rican community’s impact goes beyond battleground states. Florida, though traditionally leaning Republican, is home to over 1.2 million residents of Puerto Rican origin, representing 5.6 percent of the state’s population. In Connecticut and Massachusetts, Puerto Ricans make up an even higher percentage of the population, at 8.3 percent and 4.7 percent, respectively. New York, where the controversial rally took place, is home to over a million Puerto Ricans.
While the Puerto Rican population in states like Connecticut and Massachusetts may not alter the Electoral College tally directly, the rally incident has stirred a broader conversation about respect and representation, igniting frustration that could affect national turnout.
Numerous Puerto Rican celebrities have weighed in, with artists Jennifer Lopez, Ricky Martin, and Bad Bunny expressing outrage over the rally. In a social media post to his 18 million followers, Ricky Martin wrote, “This is what they think of us. Vote for @kamalaharris.” Political analyst Herman noted, “It’s about turnout now—getting supporters to the polls, and comments like these could be just enough to change the outcome.”
