GOP lawmakers slam "classless" Trump rally Puerto Rico joke

• "This joke does not reflect the views of President Trump or the campaign," Trump campaign senior adviser Danielle Alvarez said in a statement.

Driving the news: During the event in New York City on Sunday, Hinchcliffe told the audience: "There's literally a floating island of garbage in the middle of the ocean right now. I think it's called Puerto Rico."

• Rep. María Elvira Salazar (R-Fla.), who is Cuban American, said in a post on X that she was "disgusted" by the "racist comment," arguing it "does not reflect GOP values."
• "This joke bombed for a reason. It's not funny and it's not true," Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) said on X.
• Rep. Carlos Gimenez (R-Fla.), another Cuban American, said on X that the remark was "completely classless & in poor taste" and "definitely doesn't reflect my values."

Zoom in: It wasn't just Floridians condemning the joke. Rep. Anthony D'Esposito (R-N.Y.) said in a post on X he is "proud to be Puerto Rican."

• "The only thing that's 'garbage' was a bad comedy set. Stay on message," admonished the Long Islander — who is facing one of the toughest re-election battles in the country.

The other side: Hinchcliffe doubled down on the remark, posting on X that Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), who harshly criticized his joke, "have no sense of humor."

• He added: "I love Puerto Rico and vacation there. I made fun of everyone…watch the whole set. I'm a comedian."
• Hinchcliffe also has his defenders in Congress, with Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) lamenting that Democrats are "more offended at a comedian making a bad joke about Puerto Rico" than with Walz's record on immigration policy as Minnesota governor.

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