Republicans and celebrities are reacting with fury to comedian Tony Hinchcliffe’s racist joke about Puerto Rico during Donald Trump’s marathon rally at Madison Square Garden. The controversial comedian sparked backlash when he took to the stage at Sunday night’s event in New York City and compared the Caribbean island to “garbage.” Hinchcliffe remarked, “There’s literally a floating island of garbage in the middle of the ocean right now; I think it’s called Puerto Rico.” The fallout from the joke, which fell flat with the crowd, coincided with Vice President Kamala Harris announcing her new plans for the U.S. territory. Harris stated, “Puerto Rico is home to some of the most talented, innovative, and ambitious people in our nation,” emphasizing the need for investment and respect for Puerto Ricans.
Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny quickly responded to the controversy by throwing his support behind Harris, sharing her campaign video detailing her plans for the island with his 45 million Instagram followers. He highlighted her assertion about Trump’s inadequate response when the island needed effective leadership. Jennifer Lopez joined the fray by reposting the video and expressing her own support for Harris, punctuated with emojis of the Puerto Rican flag and ballot box.
Puerto Rican singer Ricky Martin also reacted, sharing Hinchcliffe’s offensive joke on social media and calling for action by saying, “This is what they think of us. Vote for @kamalaharris.”
Beyond the entertainment industry, several Republican figures condemned Hinchcliffe's remarks as well. Florida Senator Rick Scott stated on X (formerly Twitter) the “joke bombed for a reason,” insisting it was neither true nor funny, noting Puerto Ricans’ contributions as “amazing people and amazing Americans.” Likewise, Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar decried Hinchcliffe's comment as not reflective of GOP values, reminding the audience of Puerto Rico's significant contributions, including sending over 48,000 soldiers to Vietnam.
The backlash appears not only to stem from Democrats; several Republican voices have expressed their discontent. A senior aide associated with Trump clarified, claiming Hinchcliffe’s words “do not reflect the views of President Trump or the campaign.”
Democrats, too, hastened to comment on Hinchcliffe's comments and the Trump campaign's associated platforming of such remarks. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez voiced their disapproval during a live stream. Ocasio-Cortez called the joke “super upsetting,” articulately criticizing the dehumanizing view implicit in the remarks.
Both Walz and Ocasio-Cortez did not hold back their disdain for Hinchcliffe's performance at such a politically charged rally, with Walz reflecting on Trump’s historically poor response to Hurricane Maria by saying, “Does anyone recall how [Trump] responded to [hurricane] Maria? It was absolutely horrific. Down there, insulting people.” Ocasio-Cortez went on to remark, “When you have some a-hole calling Puerto Rico floating garbage, know that's what they think about you.”
Despite the communal outrage, Tony Hinchcliffe defended his set, claiming on social media the criticism was misplaced, asserting, “These people have no sense of humor. Wild to think a vice presidential candidate would take time out of his ‘busy schedule’ to analyze my joke taken out of any contest.” He also insisted, “I love Puerto Rico and vacation there.” His attempt to diminish the seriousness of the issue has only ignited more backlash, with Ocasio-Cortez firing back, “Can’t get over this dude telling someone else to change tampons when he’s the one s***ing bricks.”
The incident speaks volumes about the intersection of comedy and politics, especially within the charged social climate surrounding the approaching 2024 election. Hinchcliffe’s remarks, seen as racist and dismissive by many, have not only threatened to damage his reputation but highlighted persistent societal biases against marginalized communities.