Hinchcliffe, known as Kill Tony, joked: “There’s a lot going on. I don’t know if you know this, but right now there’s literally an island of trash floating in the middle of the ocean. Puerto Rico.”
This line has been met with mixed reactions. Two Republican lawmakers from Florida, a state with a large Puerto Rican population, were among those who condemned the joke.
U.S. Representative Maria Elvira Salazar said she was “disgusted” by the “racist remarks.” She referred to the Republican Party in
U.S. Senator Rick Scott said, “This joke was made for a reason. It’s not funny and it’s not true.” “Puerto Ricans are amazing people and amazing Americans,” he added.
Puerto Rico is an American island territory in the Caribbean. Its residents cannot vote in U.S. presidential elections, but there is a large diaspora across the country that can vote.
Hinchcliffe also suggested that Latinos “love making babies.”
He drew groans from the audience by drawing racist analogies about black people and watermelons, and in the same sentence called Palestinians stone throwers while suggesting Jews would not spend money.
The comedian later defended his material. “These people have no sense of humor,” he wrote in
He added, “I love Puerto Rico and vacationing there. I teased everyone… Watch the whole set.”
Ocasio-Cortez said, “You don’t ‘love Puerto Rico.’ You like drinking piña coladas. There’s a difference.”
She previously said Hinchcliffe’s comments were “very upsetting” and pointed out that her family is from Puerto Rico.
Other speakers that night sparked controversy with their comments. David Rehm, Trump’s childhood friend, called Harris the ‘devil’ and ‘antichrist.’
And Trump’s former lawyer Rudy Giuliani falsely claimed the Democratic candidate had been “on the side of terrorists” in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Although most of the focus was on comments from guest speakers, Trump used the opportunity to announce a tax credit plan for those who care for parents or loved ones. “It’s time for them to be recognized,” he said.
He also reiterated plans to deport illegal immigrants in large numbers, saying he wanted to “rescue” places that have been “invaded and conquered” by “evil, bloodthirsty criminals.”
