In a strongly worded open letter released from San Juan, the archbishop of San Juan de Puerto Rico called on former President Donald Trump to personally apologize for controversial remarks made on Sunday by comedian Tony Hinchcliffe at the Madison Square Garden rally in New York City.
Archbishop Roberto González Nieves on Monday expressed dismay over Hinchcliffe’s characterization of Puerto Rico as a “floating island of garbage” during Trump’s event. The remarks have sparked widespread backlash on social media, with one clip of the joke receiving over 27.7 million views on X, formerly Twitter, by Monday morning.
“Puerto Rico is not a floating island of garbage. Puerto Rico is a beautiful country inhabited by a beautiful and noble people,” wrote González Nieves, who consulted with other Puerto Rican bishops before issuing the letter. He highlighted the territory’s contributions to American military service, noting that “more Puerto Rican soldiers died in the Vietnam War as part of the United States military than soldiers from any state of the United States.”
The Archbishop of Puerto Rico formally rebukes Donald Trump, demanding that he personally apologize: “It is not sufficient for your campaign to apologize. It is important that you, personally, apologize for these comments.” pic.twitter.com/fK1qR9Vukg
— Matt McDermott (@mattmfm) October 29, 2024
Newsweek contacted Trump’s campaign via email on Monday for comment.
The archbishop’s letter emphasized that while he appreciates humor, it should not “insult or denigrate the dignity and sacredness of people.”
He argued that Hinchcliffe’s comments “do not only provoke sinister laughter but hatred” and have no place in a society founded on “liberty and justice for all.”
The Trump campaign responded through senior adviser Danielle Alvarez, saying: “This joke does not reflect the views of President Trump or the campaign.” González Nieves made clear in his letter that a campaign apology was insufficient, calling specifically for Trump to personally disavow the remarks.
“It is not sufficient for your campaign to apologize. It is important that you, personally, apologize for these comments,” the archbishop wrote.
The controversy has drawn reactions from several prominent political figures. Democratic Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman said that Pennsylvania, a crucial swing state, is home to hundreds of thousands of Puerto Ricans, saying they are “crucial to our commonwealth—not a punchline for a desperate joke.”
Hinchcliffe defended himself on social media, saying his critics “have no sense of humor” and that he loves Puerto Rico and vacations there. This prompted a sharp response from Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who wrote, “You don’t ‘love Puerto Rico.’ You like drinking piña coladas. There’s a difference.”
González Nieves’ letter took particular issue with remarks that he said do not promote “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.”
The archbishop, who signs his name with the designation OFM (Order of Friars Minor), concluded his letter with, “May you be blessed with wisdom,” striking a tone that balanced diplomatic courtesy with moral authority.