Former President Donald Trump described his recent rally at Madison Square Garden that was marred by racist remarks as a ‘lovefest,” a term he has previously used to refer to the January 6 Capitol riot.
Speaking from his Mar-a-Lago resort, Trump said: “There’s never been an event so beautiful,” in reference to the Sunday night gathering in New York City.
“The love in that room was breathtaking,” he asserted. “It was like a lovefest, an absolute lovefest. And it was my honor to be involved.”
However, the rally caused a backlash over crude and racist remarks made by several speakers, including insults directed at various minority groups such as Latinos, Black people, Jews and Palestinians, as well as sexist comments aimed at Vice President Kamala Harris and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
Republican presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference at his Mar-a-Lago estate on October 29 in Palm Beach, Florida. He described his rally at New York City’s Madison Square Garden, an event marked by crude and racist insults by several speakers, as a “lovefest.”
Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP
What did Tony Hinchcliffe say at Trump’s MSG rally?
Notably, comedian Tony Hinchcliffe’s joke, in which he described Puerto Rico as a “floating island of garbage,” drew significant criticism, especially considering the electoral importance of Puerto Ricans in battleground states like Pennsylvania.
In a rare move, the Trump campaign distanced itself from Hinchcliffe’s comments, although it did not condemn the other inflammatory remarks made during the event.
Ángel Cintrón, president of Puerto Rico’s Republican Party, labeled Hinchcliffe’s routine as “disgraceful, ignorant, and totally reprehensible,” asserting that such remarks do not reflect the values of conservatism.
Trump used the Mar-a-Lago event to critique Harris’ record on issues such as immigration and the economy, stating, “On issue after issue, she broke it, and I’m going to fix it very fast.”
With just a week remaining before Election Day, some of Trump’s allies expressed concern that the rally, intended to emphasize his closing campaign message, instead highlighted potential voter apprehension regarding his controversial rhetoric.
Tony Hinchcliffe arrives to speak before Republican presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump during a campaign rally at Madison Square Garden on October 27 in New York City. He joked that Puerto Rico was a “floating island of garbage,” stirring anger among Puerto Ricans who live in Pennsylvania and other key swing states.
Evan Vucci/AP
What Has Trump Said About Hinchcliffe?
Trump stated to ABC News that he was unfamiliar with Hinchcliffe and did not denounce the comedian’s remarks. “I don’t know him, someone put him up there. I don’t know who he is,” Trump said, adding that he hadn’t heard the comments, and when pressed for a response, he did not denounce them.
The Republican presidential nominee is scheduled to campaign on Tuesday in Pennsylvania, a state that has seen its Latino eligible voter population more than triple since 2000, increasing from 206,000 to 620,000 in 2023, according to Census Bureau figures. More than half of these eligible voters are of Puerto Rican descent.
How Will Hispanics Vote?
Among Trump’s stops on Tuesday will be a rally in Allentown, Pennsylvania, which has a significant Hispanic population.
Angelo Ortega, former Republican and Allentown resident, expressed disbelief over the comments made at Trump’s rally. “I don’t know if my jaw dropped or I was just so irritated, angry. I didn’t know what to feel,” said Ortega, whose father is from Puerto Rico.
He has been campaigning for Harris and noted that at least one Hispanic Republican voter plans to switch their support from Trump to Harris as a result of Hinchcliffe’s comments.
This article contains additional reporting from the Associated Press.
