Donald Trump is still trying to answer for a racist joke made by a speaker at his Madison Square Garden rally last weekend, this time blaming Democrats for making it “a big deal.”
Comedian Tony Hinchcliffe called Puerto Rico a “floating island of garbage” during a set to kick-off Trump's New York rally. The statement caused uproar inside the Puerto Rican community and was seized upon by the former president's political opponents.
In the days since his rally, Puerto Rican celebrities Bad Bunny, Jennifer Lopez and Ricky Martin disavowed the comments, while rapper Nicky Jam un-endorsed the former President over them.
Trump told the hosts of “Fox and Friends” on Saturday morning that the remark distracted from the rally’s core message.
“They made this – one little comedian telling a little joke, early in the show, when nobody had even started going in to the arena, practically – they’ve made this comedian, and they’ve made the whole weekend, and they took out this gorgeous, unbelievable, patriotic evening, and they sort of stained it a little bit,” Trump complained.
Trump on Fox & Friends says he still hasn't heard Hinchcliffe's joke at his rally but insist "nobody has been better to Puerto Rico than me."
This is a lie. Fact check: https://t.co/aR7ZsrLud2 pic.twitter.com/XqVbTj25IE
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) November 2, 2024
Trump referred to Hinchcliffe as a “filler in all fairness” and added that he had “no idea who [Hinchcliffe] is. He’s a man that was put there by very good people and well-meaning people.”
But Trump charges Democrats, not the comedian who tossed the racist barb or the campaign staff who seemingly failed to vet him, with destroying his support amongst Puerto Ricans.
“All of the sudden, the Democrats, and they are good at this stuff, by the way,” Trump said, “he mentioned Puerto Rico and they made it like a big deal.”
The ex-president defended his record on Puerto Rico, despite widespread criticism of his administration’s botched response to Hurricane Maria.
“Nobody’s been better to Puerto Rico than me,” Trump claimed. “Puerto Ricans will tell you that – nobody’s done more for Puerto Rico than me.”
Trump’s previous attempts to downplay the remarks didn’t help much quell the backlash from Puerto Ricans, who make up a massive voting bloc in swing states like Florida and Pennsylvania.
