Puerto Rico's Archbishop Asks Donald Trump to Apologize Amid Rally Backlash

In a strongly worded open letter issued from San Juan, Archbishop Roberto González Nieves of San Juan de Puerto Rico called on former President Donald Trump to personally apologize for controversial remarks made by comedian Tony Hinchcliffe at a rally in New York City on Sunday. 

Archbishop González Nieves expressed his dismay over Hinchcliffe’s description of Puerto Rico as a “floating island of garbage” during Trump’s event. These comments have prompted widespread outrage on social media, with one clip of the joke amassing over 27.7 million views on X, formerly known as Twitter, by Monday morning. 

“Puerto Rico is not a floating island of garbage. It is a beautiful country, home to a beautiful and noble people,” González Nieves stated in his letter, which he crafted after consulting with other Puerto Rican bishops. He underscored the territory's significant contributions to American military service, pointing out that “more Puerto Rican soldiers died in the Vietnam War as part of the United States military than soldiers from any state in the union.” 

While acknowledging the role of humor, the archbishop asserted that it should not “insult or denigrate the dignity and sacredness of people.” He contended that Hinchcliffe’s comments not only incite sinister laughter but also foster hatred, which has no place in a society founded on “liberty and justice for all.” 

In response, Danielle Alvarez, a senior adviser to the Trump campaign, stated, “This joke does not reflect the views of President Trump or the campaign.” However, González Nieves made it clear that an apology from the campaign was inadequate, demanding that Trump personally disavow the remarks. “It is not enough for your campaign to apologize. It is essential that you personally apologize for these comments,” he insisted.

The controversy has elicited reactions from various political figures. Democratic Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman highlighted that Pennsylvania, a critical swing state, is home to hundreds of thousands of Puerto Ricans, asserting that they are “crucial to our commonwealth—not a punchline for a desperate joke.” 

In defense of his comments, Hinchcliffe took to social media to argue that his critics “have no sense of humor,” claiming that he loves Puerto Rico and vacations there. This prompted a sharp retort from Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who remarked, “You don’t ‘love Puerto Rico.’ You like drinking piña coladas. There’s a difference.” 

González Nieves criticized the remarks, stating they do not foster “equality, fraternity, and goodwill among all people, regardless of race, color, or way of life,” which he identified as the foundation of the American dream. The archbishop concluded his letter with a call for wisdom, signing off with the designation OFM (Order of Friars Minor), striking a balance between diplomatic courtesy and moral authority.