Reggaeton artist Nicky Jam rescinded his endorsement of former President Donald Trump on Wednesday, following comments made about Puerto Rico by comedian Tony Hinchcliffe at a Trump rally held Sunday in New York City’s Madison Square Garden.
Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny signaled his support for Vice President Kamala Harris moments after a speaker at a Trump rally called Puerto Rico ‘a floating island of garbage.’
The “Hasta el amanecer†singer, whose real name is Nick Rivera Caminero, appeared on stage with Trump during a September campaign rally in Las Vegas, where the presidential candidate incorrectly referred to Jam as a woman.
“Latin music superstar Nicky Jam. Do you know Nicky? She’s hot,†said Trump.
“People that come from where I come from, they don’t meet the president. So I’m lucky. We need you. We need you back, right? We need you to be the president,†said Jam, wearing a red “Make America Great Again†hat.
In a video uploaded to Instagram on Wednesday, Jam said that he initially supported Trump because he believed the candidate would be better for the economy. He then added that Hinchcliffe referring to Puerto Rico as “a floating island of garbage†had crossed a line.
“Never in my life did I think that a comedian would speak poorly of my country. For that reason, I renounce my support of Donald Trump and I step aside on all political matters. Puerto Rico deserves respect,†Jam said to his 43.5 million followers.
Hinchcliffe’s comments sparked outcry in Puerto Rican communities across the country, including in swing states like Pennsylvania and North Carolina. The Trump campaign has since attempted to distance itself from the comedian.
“This joke does not reflect the views of President Trump or the campaign,†said campaign advisor Danielle Alvarez.
In the days since, high-profile Puerto Rican artists including Bad Bunny, Ricky Martin and Jennifer Lopez have taken to social media to decry Hinchcliffe’s remarks, while also sharing a Harris campaign video criticizing Trump’s 2017 response to Hurricane Maria with their millions of followers.
On Monday, singer Marc Anthony announced on X that he was endorsing Harris for president.
“I remember after Hurricane Maria devastated our island … Trump blocked billions in relief … while thousands died,†he wrote. “ I remember that when our families lacked clean water and electricity, Trump threw paper towels and called Puerto Rico ‘dirty’ and ‘poor.’â€
The Latinx experience chronicled
Get the Latinx Files newsletter for stories that capture the multitudes within our communities.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
