It was supposed to be a "love fest." That’s how Donald Trump later described his massive October 2024 rally at Madison Square Garden. But for millions of people watching at home—and specifically for the 5.8 million Puerto Ricans living stateside—the event became synonymous with a single, stinging sentence.
"There's literally a floating island of garbage in the middle of the ocean right now. I think it's called Puerto Rico."
The words didn't come from Trump himself. They came from Tony Hinchcliffe, a roast comedian and host of the Kill Tony podcast, who was tapped to warm up the New York City crowd. Honestly, the fallout was almost instant. Within hours, a "joke" intended to get a cheap laugh had turned into a full-blown political wildfire that threatened to tip the scales in the final days of a razor-thin election.
The Moment the "Island of Garbage" Went Viral
Hinchcliffe’s set was meant to be edgy. That's his brand. He specializes in the kind of insult comedy that thrives in dark clubs, but the bright lights of a presidential campaign rally are a different beast entirely. When he dropped the line about Puerto Rico being a "floating island of garbage," the reaction in the room was mixed—a smattering of laughs, some awkward silence, and a few groans.
But on social media? It was an explosion.
Politics moves fast, but celebrity culture moves faster. Almost immediately after the clip started circulating, the heavy hitters of the Puerto Rican music world—who usually stay out of the day-to-day political mud—stopped being silent. Bad Bunny, who has a massive 45 million followers on Instagram, shared a video of Kamala Harris discussing Puerto Rico. Jennifer Lopez, Ricky Martin, and Luis Fonsi followed suit.
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Basically, the joke did something the Harris campaign had been trying to do for months: it unified the Puerto Rican diaspora against a common slight.
What was actually said?
It wasn't just the garbage line. Hinchcliffe’s set included several other "bits" that leaned heavily on racial and ethnic stereotypes:
- He made a crude remark about Latinos "making babies" and equated it to an "invasion."
- He made a joke about a Black friend and "carving watermelons."
- He took a swipe at Jewish people and Palestinians.
The Trump campaign, sensing the toxicity, tried to pull back. Senior adviser Danielle Alvarez released a statement saying, "This joke does not reflect the views of President Trump or the campaign." Trump himself later told ABC News and Sean Hannity that he didn't know the comedian and hadn't heard the joke. But by then, the narrative had already hardened.
Why the Puerto Rico Joke Trump Platformed Mattered So Much
You have to understand the context of Pennsylvania. That’s the real reason this became the "October Surprise" of 2024.
Pennsylvania was the must-win state for both candidates. It also happens to be home to nearly 500,000 Puerto Ricans. In a state where elections are often decided by 10,000 or 20,000 votes, offending a demographic that makes up 3% of the total population is, to put it mildly, a massive strategic blunder.
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The "Paper Towels" Ghost
For many Puerto Ricans, this wasn't just about a comedian being unfunny. It reopened old wounds from 2017. People still remember Trump’s visit to the island after Hurricane Maria, where he famously tossed rolls of paper towels into a crowd of survivors like he was shooting free throws.
The "island of garbage" comment felt like a verbal version of that moment.
Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who is of Puerto Rican descent, was live-streaming with Tim Walz when the news broke. Her reaction was visceral. She didn't call it a joke; she called it "red-meat racism." On the other side of the aisle, Republicans like Florida Senator Rick Scott and Representative Carlos Gimenez—who represent huge Puerto Rican constituencies—were just as quick to condemn it. Scott was blunt: "It’s not funny and it’s not true."
The Comedian's Defense
Tony Hinchcliffe didn't apologize. Not even a little bit.
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), he told his critics they "have no sense of humor." He pointed out that he "vacations in Puerto Rico" and that he "made fun of everyone" during his set. This is a classic defense in the world of roast comedy. The "I’m an equal opportunity offender" card.
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But there's a difference between a comedy club and a political stage. At a rally for a man who wants to be the leader of the free world, everything is an endorsement of a worldview. Hinchcliffe’s refusal to back down only kept the story in the news cycle for three more days.
Did it actually change the election?
This is where things get complicated. If you looked at the headlines on October 29th, you’d think Trump had just handed the keys to the White House to Harris. The backlash was that intense.
However, looking at the post-election data, a surprising trend emerged. While the "island of garbage" joke definitely angered many, it didn't lead to a total collapse of Trump’s Latino support.
- The Shift: Despite the rhetoric, Trump actually performed better with Latino men in 2024 than he did in 2020.
- Economic Priority: Many voters in places like Allentown, PA (which is over 50% Latino), told reporters that while they hated the joke, they cared more about the price of eggs and rent.
- The "Garbage" Counter-Punch: In a weird twist of fate, President Biden later seemed to refer to Trump supporters as "garbage" while trying to defend Puerto Ricans. Trump immediately capitalized on this, even showing up to a rally in a literal garbage truck.
In the end, the "joke" became part of a larger, chaotic noise floor. It was a massive moment of cultural friction, but it was competing against deep-seated economic frustration.
Key Takeaways from the MSG Backlash
If we’re looking at what this moment taught us about political communication in 2026 and beyond, there are a few clear lessons.
- Vetting is Mandatory: The Trump campaign admitted the joke wasn't on the teleprompter. In a high-stakes environment, "off-the-cuff" is a liability.
- Identity vs. Economy: You can't assume a demographic is a monolith. The Puerto Rican community is diverse. Some saw the joke as a dealbreaker; others saw it as a distraction from policy.
- The Power of the Diaspora: The speed with which Puerto Rican stars mobilized showed that the island's influence is now firmly rooted in the mainland U.S. political structure.
If you are looking to understand the impact of this event on your own community or voting block, the best step is to look at local exit polling from the 2024 cycle in Pennsylvania and Florida. It provides a much clearer picture of how "trash talk" weighed against "pocketbook issues" than any national headline ever could. Focus on the data from cities like Reading and Allentown to see the real-world results of this controversy.