Trump to hold rally in Pennsylvania city with Latino-majority population

Former President Donald Trump connected Tuesday evening was returning to a Hispanic-majority municipality successful eastbound Pennsylvania aft a comedian astatine Trump's rally astatine Madison Square Garden complete nan play sparked contention by making racist jokes astir Latinos, including calling Puerto Rico a "floating land of garbage."

Trump's rally is scheduled to return spot successful Allentown, Pennsylvania, a metropolis of much than 125,000 group wherever nan Hispanic organization makes up 55% of its total, according to nan U.S. Census data, pinch overmuch of them being Puerto Ricans.

Among nan scheduled speakers beforehand astatine nan Allentown rally is Republican Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, whom Trump has enlisted to tribunal Latino voters crossed nan country.

His 2nd run extremity of nan time successful Pennsylvania, aft a roundtable successful Drexel Hill, wherever nan organization is overwhelmingly achromatic – nan Allentown sojourn is an opportunity for nan erstwhile president to tribunal Hispanics and much specifically Puerto Ricans aft Hispanic groups connected some sides of nan aisle called nan racist jokes made astatine nan New York rally "derogatory," "offensive," and "disrespectful."

Republican statesmanlike nominee erstwhile U.S. President Donald Trump participates successful a moderated Q&A pinch Pastor Paula White astatine nan National Faith Advisory Summit, successful Powder Springs, Georgia, Oct. 28, 2024.

Brendan McDermid/Reuters

https://abcnews.go.com/US/offensive-latino-puerto-rico-jokes-trump-msg-rally/story?id=115213231

The comments successful mobility were made by arguable comedian Tony Hinchcliffe during pre-programming earlier Sunday afternoon, including definitive comments astir really Latinos "love making babies."

"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. I deliberation it's called Puerto Rico," Hinchcliffe said connected shape to a crowd of astir 20,000 Sunday night, aft nan erstwhile president himself nan erstwhile time called nan United States a "garbage tin for nan world."

Hinchcliffe, alternatively of apologizing for his comments, attacked his critics arsenic lacking a consciousness of joke and accused them of taking nan joke retired of discourse to "make it look racist."

The erstwhile president denied knowing nan comedian connected Tuesday, telling ABC News Senior Congressional Correspondent Rachel Scott: "I don't cognize him, personification put him up there. I don't cognize who he is."

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/live-updates/2024-election-updates-harris-make-closing-argument-amid?id=115252538&entryId=115254897

Trump besides insisted he didn't perceive immoderate of nan comments, moreover arsenic they've been played connected tv and written astir extensively. When asked what he made of them, he did not return nan opportunity to denounce them, repeating that he didn't perceive nan comments.

Trump's run has besides tried to region itself from comedian Hinchcliffe's comments, saying they don't bespeak their views.

Several Republicans person travel retired against nan jokes, including nan chair Republican Party of Puerto Rico, Angel Cintrón, who censured Hinchcliffe's comments arsenic "unfortunate, ignorant, and wholly reprehensible," arsenic good arsenic "racist."

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

Puerto Rico, arsenic a U.S. territory, does not ballot for president successful nan wide election, but nan Republican Party of Puerto Rico held a superior successful April arsenic portion of nan Republican statesmanlike nominating process. Donald Trump won nan superior and netted nan territory's delegates.

Puerto Ricans surviving successful nan United States, however, dress up nan largest Hispanic group successful 7 states crossed nan country, including successful nan captious battleground authorities of Pennsylvania, according to nan U.S. Census data.

In Pennsylvania, wherever President Joe Biden won successful 2020 by conscionable complete 81,000 votes, 3.7% of nan state's full population, aliases astir 486,000 people, were of Puerto Rican origin. Pennsylvania is again expected to beryllium an highly tight title betwixt Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, pinch Trump up of Harris by conscionable 0.2% according to 538's polling mean arsenic of Oct. 29.

Overall, Pennsylvania's eligible Latino elector organization has much than doubled since 2000, from 206,000 to 620,000 successful 2023, according to WNTM's analysis of U.S. Census Bureau figures.