Racist comments at Trump's Madison Square Garden rally overshadow 'closing argument'

Former president Donald Trump's rally astatine Madison Square Garden connected Sunday was framed arsenic his "closing argument" successful his bid for nan White House and arsenic a measurement to bring a divers group of supporters together.

Instead, it included divisive connection and racist insults aimed astatine immoderate of nan very voters Trump has been moving to attract.

Causing nan astir backlash were comments from comedian Tony Hinchcliffe, who made definitive jokes astir Latinos and turned to Trump precocious calling nan United States nan "garbage can" of nan world.

"I don't cognize if you guys cognize this, but there's virtually a floating land of garbage successful nan mediate of nan water correct now. Yeah, I deliberation it's called Puerto Rico," he said.

Hinchcliffe singled retired a Black protagonist successful nan crowd, trying to make a joke astir carving watermelons for Halloween. He made anti-Palestinian and anti-Semitic comments arsenic well.

When Trump supporters successful nan assemblage seemed uncomfortable pinch his attempted jokes, Hinchcliffe quickly noted nan crowd's deficiency of response. He made nan jokes successful nan metropolis pinch nan largest Puerto Rican organization extracurricular nan island.

Tony Hinchcliffe speaks earlier Republican statesmanlike nominee erstwhile President Donald Trump during a run rally astatine Madison Square Garden, Oct. 27, 2024, successful New York.

Evan Vucci/AP

With conscionable astir a week until Election Day, nan rally was an opportunity for nan Trump run to link pinch Hispanic and Black Americans, voters nan Trump run is attempting to tribunal successful deep-Blue New York.

His run alternatively was forced to effort to respond to region Trump from nan comedian nan run had chosen to speak astatine his high-profile event.

"This joke does not bespeak nan views of President Trump aliases nan campaign," Trump campaign's elder advisor Danielle Alvarez wrote successful a connection to ABC News astir nan "island of garbage remark."

Trump Campaign National Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt added connected Fox News connected Monday greeting that Hinchcliffe's joke was successful "poor taste."

Vice President Kamala Harris' run instantly slammed Hinchcliffe's comments, pointing to really Harris would activity to support Puerto Rico -- a cardinal voting bloc that Harris targeted during a extremity successful plaything authorities Pennsylvania complete nan weekend.

"Puerto Ricans merit better," she said successful a Sunday video station connected X.

Republican statesmanlike nominee and erstwhile U.S. President Donald Trump speaks connected shape during a rally astatine Madison Square Garden, successful New York City, Oct. 27, 2024.

Andrew Kelly/Reuters

The backlash to Hinchcliffe's comments kicked up successful Puerto Rico from some sides of nan governmental aisle. Jenniffer Gonzalez, a Republican who is moving to beryllium nan island's governor, called nan comedian's comments "despicable, inappropriate and disgusting." The Republican Party of Puerto Rico besides denounced Hinchcliffe's comments, pinch statement chair Angel Cintrón penning that they were "unfortunate, ignorant, and wholly reprehensible."

Hinchcliffe responded to disapproval from Harris' moving mate, Gov. Tim Walz -- who ripped nan comedian for nan "island of garbage comments.

"These group person nary consciousness of humor. Wild that a vice statesmanlike campaigner would return clip retired of his 'busy schedule' to analyse a joke taken retired of discourse to make it look racist," Hinchcliffe wrote connected societal media. "I emotion Puerto Rico and picnic there. I made nosy of everyone…watch nan full set."

While Puerto Rico does not ballot for president successful nan wide predetermination since it is simply a U.S. territory, nan Republican Party of Puerto Rico held a superior successful April arsenic portion of its statesmanlike nominating process. That superior was won by Trump, who netted nan territory's delegates.

The contention is not a first for Hinchcliffe, who has a history of making racially charged jokes.

In 2021, he came nether fire aft calling chap comedian Peng Dang racist names successful a mocking Chinese accent.

It was during a Big Laugh Comedy show successful Austin, Texas, wherever Dang had conscionable introduced Hinchcliffe to nan shape aft doing a bid of jokes related to #StopAsianHate. During nan set, Hinchcliffe reportedly further made racist jokes against Chinese people.

The incident led to nan cancellation of respective of Hinchcliffe's upcoming shows and reportedly caused him to beryllium removed from his agency, WME.

Supporters cheer arsenic Republican statesmanlike nominee erstwhile President Donald Trump speaks astatine a run rally astatine Madison Square Garden, Oct. 27, 2024, successful New York.

Evan Vucci/AP

Other pre-program speakers astatine nan Madison Square Garden rally besides made mendacious and harmful remarks astir Harris. Businessman Grant Cardone told nan crowd that Harris "and her pimp handlers will destruct our country;" Trump's friend David Rem called her "the devil" and "the anti-Christ."

Former Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson besides made racially charged jokes aimed astatine Harris; power big Sid Rosenberg utilized expletives to picture undocumented immigrants and erstwhile Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani besides repeated disparaging rhetoric connected Palestinians.

In nan last weeks of his campaign, Trump has regularly utilized vulgar, acheronian and shocking rhetoric to overgarment a image of a state being "destroyed" – attacking migrants and his opponent's intelligence.