Elon Musk, Tucker Carlson, and Hulk Hogan were among the speakers who took the stage at a rally on Saturday ahead of former President Trump’s speech, but it was a short set by comedian Tony Hinchcliffe that sparked immediate backlash.
The event at Madison Square Garden featured nearly five hours of speeches intended to energize the crowd before Trump’s highly anticipated address. However, it was a single comment from Hinchcliffe that quickly drew outrage.
“There is literally a floating island of garbage in the middle of the ocean right now. I think it’s called Puerto Rico,” Hinchcliffe said, which triggered a wave of criticism, especially considering the significance of the Latino vote in this tight election.
Hinchcliffe’s remarks targeted a critical demographic, as analysts predict a record 36.2 million Latinos are expected to vote this year, including a large number of Puerto Ricans living in key states like New York, Florida, and Pennsylvania.
Congressman Ritchie Torres, who represents the Bronx, condemned the comment. “Puerto Rico is not garbage, it’s gorgeous. The people, the island, the culture—everything about Puerto Rico is gorgeous. Insulting the people of Puerto Rico, as the Trump campaign has done, is not only bad morals, it’s bad politics,” he said.
Hinchcliffe also made racially charged remarks aimed at another key voting demographic, African Americans. In response, Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate, Tim Walz, addressed the remarks during a campaign livestream alongside New York Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
ork Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.