On Oct. 27, Donald Trump held a rally at Madison Square Garden in New York, which received criticism due to racist comments that were made about Latino immigrants and Puerto Rico. One speaker at Trump’s rally, comedian Tony Hinchcliffe, told many concerning jokes, one in which he called Puerto Rico “a floating island of garbage.”
The weight of these inherently racist jokes has many wondering if these comments reflect a deeper issue of racism in Trump’s campaign. As a result, many celebrities came forward to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris in her presidential run.
Hours after these remarks were made, when criticism of Hinchcliffe’s comments was already rampant, the Trump Campaign released a statement saying, “This joke does not reflect the views of President Trump or the campaign.”
In an interview with Fox News, Trump claimed he had “no idea who he [Hinchcliffe] is, never saw him.” He continued, “I don’t even know who put him [Hinchcliffe] in [the show], and I can’t imagine it’s a big deal.” He further claimed that he has “done more for Puerto Rico than any President.”
Trump’s shaky response didn’t ameliorate the situation for many voters and caused many celebrities to announce their endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris. Celebrities such as Bad Bunny, Jennifer Lopez, Don Omar, Marc Anthony, Ricky Martin, Luis Fonsi, Aubrey Plaza, and more have since supported Harris.
At the Wall Street Journal Magazine’s 2024 Innovator Awards, Aubrey Plaza made a speech about the comments made at Trump’s rally, stating, “I just want to very quickly respond to the racist joke that was made at that Trump rally about Puerto Rico, where most of my family is from. Thankfully, my sweet abuelita wasn’t here to hear that disgusting remark, but if she was alive today, I think she would say, Tony Hinchcliffe, go f*ck yourself”.
This isn’t a new issue regarding comments surrounding the Trump Campaign. These statements follow a clear pattern of racist remarks that have caused the advocation of many racial groups to band together and vote against him. During the presidential debate just last month, Trump spread a false rumor about Haitian migrants in Springfield, Ohio, and stated “They’re eating the dogs. They’re eating the cats. They’re eating the pets of the people that live there.”
These insensitive comments took these rumors to another level, causing this stereotype to be placed on Haitian migrants and onto the Haitian community as a whole. As the country was heated in the debate concerning Trump’s comment, Haitians in Springfield were fearing for their safety. According to NPR, thirty-three bomb threats were made on the city, elementary schools were evacuated, and hospitals went on lockdown in fear of violence.
In an article published by the 19th News, Taisha Santial, a senior analyst for Undoncou Black network, discussed her experience of living in Springfield as a child and the effect that these racist comments made by Trump will have on the children living there today.
“I remember… the fear, waking up every single day knowing that I’m going to get bullied, nobody wanting to talk to me, sitting at the lunch table by myself,” Saintil said. “When I compare it to what is happening now to the newly arrived kids, I think about just how… the bullying will mark them for the rest of their lives.”
Nonfactual racist remarks aren’t a new controversy for the Trump campaign, and with the rise of these blatantly racist remarks comes the surge of individuals deciding to fight back against these negative stereotypes. Celebrities and their endorsements have a significant outreach to voters, potentially reaching millions. Comments like these so close to the election had a substantial effect on voters’ feelings towards Trump’s campaign, and continuing down this pattern of controversial racist comments seems to be leaving a stain on Trump.