The comedian was speaking at a rally for former President Donald Trump.
“This joke does not reflect the views of President Trump or the campaign,” Danielle Alvarez, a senior adviser for the campaign, told news outlets in a statement.
Tony Hinchcliffe, a stand-up comedian, told the crowd at Madison Square Garden in New York City on Sunday: “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.
“I think it’s called Puerto Rico.”
Many Democrats and some Republicans criticized the remarks.
Hinchcliffe took to X to respond to the criticism.
Hinchcliffe also said that he loves Puerto Rico, goes on vacation to the U.S. territory, and “made fun of everyone” during his remarks at the rally.
Other speakers at the rally included Dr. Phil McGraw, a television host; Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.), the speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives; former wrestler Hulk Hogan; and billionaire Elon Musk, who owns X.
Trump, a New York native, asked rallygoers if they were better off than they were four years ago when he was still president. Shouts of no answered him.
“This election is a choice between whether we’ll have four more years of gross incompetence and failure or whether we’ll begin the greatest years in the history of our country,” he said. “We will achieve success that no one can imagine.”
He did not comment on Hinchcliffe’s remarks.
Trump, during a different rally in Arizona earlier in the month, said the United States has become “a dumping ground.”
“We’re like a garbage can for the world. That’s what’s happened to us,” he said as he spoke about the flood of illegal immigrants that have entered the country in recent years. “We’re like a garbage can. You know, it’s the first time I’ve ever said that.”
Harris said in response to those remarks that the description of the United States “belittles our country.”
