Comic at NYC Trump Rally Known as Puerto Rico 'Floating Island of Rubbish'?

On Oct. 27, 2024, former U.S. President Donald Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, held a marketing campaign rally at Madison Sq. Backyard in New York Metropolis. Even earlier than Trump took the stage, his Democratic opponent started expressing issues concerning the content material of the speeches. 

The official X web page of Vice President Kamala Harris’ marketing campaign, Kamala HQ, posted throughout the rally that one of many audio system had referred to as Puerto Rico, a U.S. territory, a “floating island of rubbish.” 

The comment, which many thought was insensitive at greatest (together with some Republicans), garnered speedy controversy. As one instance, throughout a livestream with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Harris’ working mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, merely requested, “Who’s that jackwad?” upon seeing the clip (timecode 1:09:20).

The speaker in query was comic Tony Hinchcliffe, greatest recognized for his work writing on “Comedy Central Roast” and his podcast, “Kill Tony.” Hinchcliffe responded to Walz’s criticism on X, writing that the joke was “taken out of context to make it appear racist,” and that he “made enjoyable of everybody” throughout the set.

Here’s a video, courtesy of C-SPAN, of Hinchcliffe’s full set, adopted by a transcript of the portion by which he talked about Puerto Rico: 

“… Free speech is beneath assault, individuals. I host a present, and every week I get updates what phrases we’re allowed to make use of and never use anymore. It is taking place proper now, the previous few years. It is an actual factor. You used to have the ability to inform individuals to Google stuff. My mother’s a boomer within the state of Ohio, and there is no convincing her of something. She’s consuming the cats. She’s consuming the canines. They’re consuming the pets up there.

It’s completely wild occasions. It actually, actually is. There’s loads happening, like, I do not know for those who guys know this, however there is a floating island of rubbish in the course of the ocean proper now. I feel it is referred to as Puerto Rico?

[The audience reacts audibly.]

OK, all proper, OK, we’re getting there. You realize, usually I do not observe the nationwide anthem, all people. This is not precisely an ideal comedy setup …”

In accordance with The New York Times, the second a part of Hinchcliffe’s assertion (that he made enjoyable of everybody) was largely true — Hinchcliffe made different inflammatory feedback about Latino, Black, Palestinian and Jewish individuals.

In an e-mail assertion to Snopes, Trump marketing campaign senior adviser Danielle Alvarez stated Hinchcliffe’s joke didn’t “replicate the views of President Trump or the marketing campaign.”

Sources