Headline Roundup • October 28th, 2024
Comedian Tony Hinchcliffe's Puerto Rico Remark at Trump Rally Sparks Controversy
Summary from the AllSides News Team
On Sunday night, comedian Tony Hinchcliffe made remarks at the Madison Square Garden rally for former President Donald Trump that some criticized as racist.
Key Details: Hinchcliffe's remarks, calling Puerto Rico a "floating island of garbage", sparked criticism from Democrats like vice presidential candidate Tim Walz and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY). The Trump campaign and other Republicans have distanced themselves from Hinchcliffe's comments.
Key Quotes: On Twitter, Hinchcliffe wrote, "I love Puerto Rico and vacation there. I made fun of everyone…watch the whole set." Ocasio-Cortez said, “When you have some a-hole calling Puerto Rico ‘floating garbage,’ know that that’s what they think about you. It’s what they think about anyone who makes less money than them.”
For Context: Hinchcliffe was one of many speakers at the Trump rally, along with SpaceX Founder and Tesla CEO Elon Musk and former star wrestler Hulk Hogan.
How the Media Covered it: The Daily Beast (Left bias) noted that the ’quip' about Puerto Rico did not appear to land with the crowd. Fox News (Right bias) noted that Trump campaign senior adviser Danielle Alvarez said the joke "does not reflect the views of President Trump or the campaign."
Featured Coverage of this Story
Getty Images
Comedian Tony Hinchcliffe sparked bipartisan backlash by cracking a joke about Puerto Rico while speaking at the Trump rally held on Sunday at Madison Square Garden.
"I don't know if you guys know this, but there's literally a floating island of garbage in the … ocean right now." Hinchcliffe said. "I think it's called Puerto Rico."
The Trump campaign swiftly distanced itself from the joke. "This joke does not reflect the views of President Trump or the campaign," Trump campaign senior adviser Danielle Alvarez noted in a statement, according to...
Angela Weiss / AFP via Getty Images
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump‘s rally at Madison Square Garden on Sunday opened up with comedian Tony Hinchcliffe—of the comedy podcast Kill Tony—calling Puerto Rico a “floating island of garbage,” among other xenophobic and prejudiced punchlines. The ’quip' did not appear to land with the crowd in attendance.
Hinchcliffe continued by deploying a crass sexual slur for Latino immigrants—joking that they should all leave the country.
“These Latinos, they love making babies, too, just know that. They do. They do. There’s no pulling out,” he said. “They don’t do that....
A comedian at a Donald Trump rally has called Puerto Rico a "floating island of garbage", sparking furious reactions from fellow Republicans as well as Democrats.
The comedian, Tony Hinchcliffe, was among the stars who turned out for the event at Madison Square Garden in New York. He also made a series of jokes that leant on racist stereotypes.
A Trump adviser distanced the Republican from the Puerto Rico joke, which was also denounced by Trump's Democratic rival, Kamala Harris. Harris herself was the target of another Trump warm-up speaker...
AllSides Picks
Headline Roundup
Second New World Screwworm Case Found in Texas Raises Concerns for Livestock
June 7th, 2026
Headline Roundup
Judge Blocks Trump Immigration and Asylum Policies, Orders Processing to Resume
June 6th, 2026
Blog
Euthanasia Malpractice, Migrant ‘Abuses’ and a Racism Ruling: Latest News You Likely Missed
Malayna J. Bizier
June 6th, 2026
.png)
More News about 2024 Presidential Election on AllSides
News from the Left
News from the Center
News from the Right
The Times of Israel
