The US Election Countdown newsletter, which focuses on key stories surrounding money and politics in the presidential race, has been made available for free. On Monday, supporters of Donald Trump were attempting to mitigate the repercussions from a rally at Madison Square Garden in New York. During this event, a speaker referred to Puerto Rico as a “floating pile of garbage” and another compared Kamala Harris to a prostitute with “pimp handlers.”
With the US presidential election just over a week away, Trump’s campaign had promoted the Sunday rally at the iconic venue as the former president’s “closing argument” to an audience of enthusiastic supporters. However, a series of offensive comments by warm-up speakers overshadowed Trump’s speech, prompting his campaign and Republican allies to swiftly distance themselves from the speakers in an effort to shield the presidential candidate from any negative impact.
Comedian Tony Hinchcliffe, who opened the rally, made derogatory remarks about Puerto Rico and also included offensive jokes about Hispanics, Jews, Palestinians, and African-Americans. As of Monday, Trump had not publicly addressed these remarks but instead shared an image of the New York Post’s front page featuring the headline “Maga Square Garden.” Senior Trump campaign adviser Danielle Alvarez stated that Hinchcliffe’s comments regarding Puerto Ricans do not represent the views of Trump or his campaign.
Campaign spokesperson Karoline Leavitt described Hinchcliffe as a comedian who made a joke in poor taste, emphasizing that the media were focusing on this single joke rather than the substantial messages presented by other speakers. Florida Senator Rick Scott, facing a tough re-election campaign, remarked that Hinchcliffe’s joke was neither humorous nor accurate, expressing his support for Puerto Ricans.
Despite efforts by Republicans to distance themselves from the comments, Democrats expressed outrage, suggesting that the remarks reflected the company Trump keeps. Kamala Harris remarked that the rally underscored Trump’s focus on grievances and divisiveness. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a Democratic congresswoman from New York with Puerto Rican heritage, accused the Trump campaign of knowingly inviting inflammatory rhetoric.
Puerto Rico is a US territory, and the Pew Research Center estimates that nearly six million people of Puerto Rican descent reside in the US, including in key swing states. The Financial Times’ poll tracker shows Trump and Harris in a close contest in these battleground areas.
In addition to Hinchcliffe, other speakers also sparked controversy. David Rem, described as a childhood friend of Trump, referred to Harris as “the devil” and “the anti-Christ,” while investor Grant Cardone likened Harris to a prostitute, claiming she and her “pimp handlers” would harm the country if elected.