Trump claims he doesn't know Tony Hinchcliffe amid joking Puerto Rico spat

Topline

Former President Donald Trump said he didn't know who comedian Tony Hinchcliffe was before he made a derogatory remark about Puerto Rico during a pro-Trump rally Sunday at Madison Square Garden, which Trump later described on Tuesday as a “lovefest” – as Consequence The comment continues to make headlines a week before the election.

Important facts

Get text alerts on Forbes breaking news: We're introducing SMS alerts to ensure you're always on top of the most important news breaking the day's headlines. Send an SMS “Notifications” to (201) 335-0739 or log in Here.

Main critic

Trump's vice presidential nominee, Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, also said he did not see the joke during a rally Monday in Wisconsin, where he suggested it was being dramatized. “We need to stop being so annoyed about every little thing in the United States of America,” he said, adding: “I'm so over it.” Hinchcliffe dismissed the remark as a joke and responded in a social media post on the backlash: “I made fun of everyone.”

Cons

According to NBC News, Puerto Rico's shadow senator Zoraida Buxo is expected to speak at Trump's rally in Allentown, Pennsylvania later on Tuesday.

tangent

According to the Latino Politics & Policy Institute, the number of Latino eligible voters in the key battleground state of Pennsylvania more than doubled between 2000 and 2022, and more than half are of Puerto Rican descent.

Important background

Hinchcliffe, one of more than two dozen speakers who opened Trump's rally on Sunday, said: “There's literally an island of garbage floating in the middle of the ocean right now, I think it's called Puerto Rico.” The comment came as Harris was in Philadelphia on Sunday wooed black and Latino voters, hours after she floated a proposal to create a “Puerto Rico Economy Task Force” to promote economic growth and new jobs on the island if elected.

Further reading

Trump rally comedian faces backlash for making jokes about Puerto Ricans – a key group in swing state Pennsylvania (Forbes)

'We have to stop insulting each other like this': JD Vance downplays controversial Puerto Rico joke that sparked outcry (Forbes)

Who is Tony Hinchcliffe? Comedian Calls Puerto Rico 'Island of Trash' at Trump Rally (Forbes)

Pennsylvania 2024 Trump-Harris polls: Trump rises 1 point in latest poll (Forbes)

Trump Rally Speaker Tony Hinchcliffe Calls Puerto Rico 'Floating Island of Trash' – Campaign, Republican Lawmakers React (Forbes)