Vice President Kamala Harris released a video talking about her plan to help “build a brighter future for Puerto Rico and the Puerto Rican people” today after Donald Trump received criticism for the comments made at his rally about the island.
Harris posted a video of herself reacting to a clip of the comedian Tony Hinchcliffe speaking at Trump’s rally at Madison Square Garden on Sunday, where he said, “I don’t know if you guys know this but there’s literally a floating island of garbage in the middle of the ocean right now, yeah, I think it’s called Puerto Rico.”
The comment sparked backlash from Democrats, and people from Puerto Rico. The Trump campaign senior adviser Danielle Alvarez told Newsweek via email, “This joke does not reflect the views of President Trump or the campaign.”
Later that night, Harris posted her response on X, formerly Twitter, saying, “Puerto Rico is home to some of the most talented, innovative, and ambitious people in our nation, and Puerto Ricans deserve a president who sees and invests in that strength.”
She continued, “I will never forget what Donald Trump did and what he did not do when Puerto Rico needed a caring and a competent leader. He abandoned the island, tried to block aid after back-to-back devastating hurricanes, and offered nothing more than paper towels and insults.”
After Hurricanes Irma and Maria hit Puerto Rico during Trump’s presidency in 2017, a video of the former president throwing paper towels to hurricane survivors went viral, and was later condemned by the mayor of San Juan, Carmen Cruz.
A $20 billion relief aid package following Maria was delayed due to “bureaucratic obstacles,” according to a report by the housing department’s office of the inspector general, The Guardian reported in 2021.
Harris continued, “Now, Donald Trump promises to be even more extreme, talking about using the military against his political enemies and being a dictator on day one. Puerto Ricans deserve better. As president, I will always fight for you and your families, and together we can turn the page and chart a new and a joyful path forward.”
Newsweek reached out to a spokesperson for Harris and the Trump campaign for comment via email outside of business hours.
Newsweek also reached out to Hinchcliffe’s manager for comment via email outside of business hours.
Hinchcliffe has since responded to some of the criticism from Representative Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez, who is of Puerto Rican descent, and Tim Walz. He wrote, “These people 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. 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.”
In her plan for the island entitled “Building an Opportunity Economy for Puerto Rico” posted to her website, Harris outlines that she plans to work with “the private sector, the Puerto Rican government, municipalities, and other stakeholders” to “strengthen the energy grid, make Puerto Rico a hub for industries of the future, and uplift the island’s role as a vibrant economic and cultural center.”
Harris detailed that she plans to launch a federal Puerto Rico economy task force focused on “investing in industries of the future, driving small business growth, strengthening the health care system,” expanding access to clean energy, providing housing at lower costs, and building more affordable housing, advancing health care services in Puerto Rico, and more.
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