At a recent Trump rally at Madison Square Garden, comedian Tony Hinchcliffe stirred controversy with a joke in which he referred to Puerto Rico as a “floating island of garbage.” The comment quickly sparked backlash from both Democrats and Republicans, who criticized the remark as offensive and insensitive. Among the critics were Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Florida GOP Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar, who called Hinchcliffe’s comment “racist” and not reflective of Republican values.
In response to the uproar, the Trump campaign moved to distance itself from the comedian’s remarks. Senior Trump campaign adviser Danielle Alvarez released a statement clarifying that Hinchcliffe’s joke “does not reflect the views of President Trump or the campaign.” The statement aimed to address the criticisms coming from both sides of the political aisle.
Rep. Salazar and Rep. Carlos Gimenez, both of Cuban descent, emphasized that Puerto Rico is a “crown jewel of the Caribbean” and home to many patriotic Americans. They stressed that Hinchcliffe’s remarks did not align with the values of the GOP, with Gimenez describing the comments as classless and in poor taste.
Despite the backlash, Hinchcliffe took to social media to defend his joke, arguing that it was taken out of context. He stated that his critics had no sense of humor and even claimed to have vacationed in Puerto Rico. Hinchcliffe pushed back at his detractors, adding that his intent was to make fun of everyone in his set, not target one group.
