Axelrod: Trump rally Puerto Rico joke could be “most costly” in history

Democratic strategist David Axelrod warned that comedian Tony Hinchcliffe’s joke about Puerto Rico at a rally for former President Donald Trump in New York could prove costly for the Republican candidate.

Speaking with Axelrod on CNN, political commentator Van Jones discussed whether Trump appeared anxious about his prospects in Pennsylvania on Election Day. He noted he sensed “energy” among Democrats in the state, especially in reaction to the controversial joke. Hinchcliffe had called Puerto Rico a “floating island of garbage.”

Puerto Ricans make up a significant voting bloc in Pennsylvania, widely regarded as one of the election’s most crucial swing states. Trump and his opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, intensified their efforts in the state leading up to Election Day.

“[Trump] should be scared in Pennsylvania because there is an energy,” Jones said. “The Puerto Rican vote by itself has been on fire,” he added, explaining that conversations with Puerto Rican political groups suggested the joke mobilized “a big tidal wave of Puerto Rican votes” that could influence the outcome.

Axelrod, a former adviser to former President Barack Obama, described the incident as a potentially significant campaign blunder.

“This could end up being the most costly joke in history,” Axelrod said.

Jones shared that he recently spoke with a woman from Pennsylvania’s only Puerto Rican political action committee (PAC). She said that while they had previously struggled to gain political traction, “when this insulting comment attacked Puerto Rico, she said it was like wildfire.”

He also mentioned that the incident brought new urgency and support to organizing efforts in Pennsylvania, where approximately 472,000 Puerto Ricans live, according to U.S. Census data.

Harris’ campaign has particularly focused on counties with substantial Puerto Rican populations. Democrats aim to sway undecided voters and secure support from a community they view as crucial in this battleground state.

The morning after the New York rally, Trump’s campaign responded to the backlash through senior adviser Danielle Alvarez, who stated that Hinchcliffe’s joke “does not reflect the views of President Trump or the campaign.”

The remarks have fueled support for Democratic efforts from high-profile Puerto Rican public figures, including singers like Bad Bunny, Jennifer Lopez, Ricky Martin and Marc Anthony. Nicky Jam, a singer who had endorsed Trump in September, reversed his stance, condemning the joke and voicing his support for Puerto Rican voters.

In 2020, Democrats flipped the state blue after unexpectedly losing it to Trump in 2016.