Trump Campaign Distances Itself From Offensive Joke

The Trump campaign is distancing itself from a joke made by comedian Tony Hinchcliffe at former President Donald Trump’s rally in New York City. 

Hinchcliffe, who was on stage at Madison Square Garden, made a comment about Puerto Rico that many people found hurtful and offensive.

During his comedy set, Hinchcliffe joked about a “floating island of garbage” in the ocean, saying, “I think it’s called Puerto Rico.” The joke upset people across political parties, who felt it was disrespectful to Puerto Ricans.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, who is running with Vice President Kamala Harris, reacted quickly to the joke. He was live-streaming the rally with Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Walz questioned who Hinchcliffe was, and Ocasio-Cortez expressed her anger, saying, “When someone calls Puerto Rico ‘floating garbage,’ it shows what they really think of people who make less money than them.”

Republican leaders were also upset by the joke. Florida Congresswoman Maria Elvira Salazar, who has Cuban heritage, called the joke “racist” and said it does not reflect Republican values. 

Another Florida Republican, Congressman Carlos Gimenez, said the joke was “classless and in poor taste.” He added that Puerto Rico is “the crown jewel of the Caribbean,” and that its people are very patriotic Americans.

Following this strong backlash, the Trump campaign quickly released a statement to separate itself from Hinchcliffe’s joke. Trump campaign advisor Danielle Alvarez stated, “This joke does not reflect the views of President Trump or the campaign.”

Despite the negative response, Hinchcliffe defended his joke. He posted on X (formerly known as Twitter), saying that people who were offended “have no sense of humor.” Hinchcliffe directed his comments at Ocasio-Cortez and Walz, claiming they took his joke out of context.

“It’s wild that a vice presidential candidate would stop his ‘busy schedule’ to talk about a joke and make it sound racist,” he posted.

Hinchcliffe went on to say that he often vacations in Puerto Rico and loves the island. “I made fun of everyone in my set...watch the whole thing,” he wrote. In response to Walz, he added, “I’m a comedian, Tim...might be time to change your tampon.”