The “appalled” Archbishop of San Juan, Puerto Rico, has demanded a direct apology from Donald Trump over comments made about the island territory by a comedian and podcaster at the former president’s Madison Square Garden rally on Sunday.
Roberto Octavio González Nieves posted an open letter to Trump describing his shock and anger after hearing the comments made by Tony Hinchcliffe on stage.
The letter was posted in both English and Spanish.
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“There’s literally a floating island of garbage in the middle of the ocean right now. I think it’s called Puerto Rico,” Hinchcliffe said Sunday to an unimpressed crowd. He also joked about Black people carving watermelons instead of pumpkins for Halloween.
The Trump campaign immediately distanced itself in a statement to The Washington Post, saying, “This joke does not reflect the views of President Trump or the campaign.”
But for the Archbishop of San Juan, it wasn’t enough.
“I enjoy a good joke. However, humor has it’s limits,” Nieves wrote, adding he had consulted with other bishops of Puerto Rico after the rally. “It should not insult or denigrate the dignity and sacredness of people. Hinchcliffe’s remarks do not only provoke sinister laughter but hatred. These kinds of remarks do not have a place in society founded upon ‘liberty and justice for all.’”
Nieves noted in his letter that Puerto Rico “is a beautiful country” and that “more Puerto Rican soldiers died in the Vietnam War as part of the United States military than soldiers from any state in the United States.
“Hinchcliffe’s remarks do not promote a climate of equality, fraternity and good will among and for all women and men of every race, color and way of life which is the foundation of the American dream. These kinds of remarks should not be a part of the political discourse of a civilized society.”
Nieves then called upon Trump personally to “disavow these comments as reflecting in any way your personal or political viewpoints.”
He added: “It is not sufficient for your campaign to apologize. It is important that you, personally, apologize for these comments.”
The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Daily Beast.
When pressed for comment earlier Monday by Politico on whether Trump planned to speak out on the joke, Trump campaign press secretary Karoline Leavitt said, “Due to President Trump’s plans to cut taxes, end inflation, and stop the surge of illegal immigrants at the southern border, he has more support from the Hispanic American community than any Republican in recent history.”
Trump’s vice presidential pick JD Vance deflected when quizzed by reporters Monday night, claiming he was “so over it.”
Hinchcliffe, meanwhile has claimed critics—notably Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who is Puerto Rican, and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz—“have no sense of humor.”
“Wild that a vice presidential candidate would take time out of his ‘busy schedule’ to analyze a joke taken out of context to make it seem racist,” Hinchcliffe wrote in a post on X. “I love Puerto Rico and vacation there. I made fun of everyone…watch the whole set. I’m a comedian Tim…might be time to change your tampon.
