Former President Donald Trump admitted to a crowd of supporters that he was only there in Albuquerque, New Mexico, because he thought it would improve his image among Hispanic and Latino voters.
Trump’s popularity among voters in the demographic took a steep dive on Sunday, when a comedian called Puerto Rico an “island of garbage” at New York City’s Madison Square Garden. The former president has refused to offer a personal apology.
“New Mexico, look, don’t make me waste a whole damn half a day here, OK?” Trump told the crowd on Thursday.
“First of all, Hispanics love Trump, they do. True. I like them. They’re smart. They’re a lot smarter than the person running for president on the Democrat side,” he said, once again taking a shot at Vice President Kamala Harris’ abilities.
“So I’m here for one simple reason,” Trump said. “I like you very much, and it’s good for my credentials with the Hispanic or Latino community.”
He continued on, saying, “You know on the East Coast, they like being called Hispanics, you know this? On the West Coast, they like being called Latinos.” Trump said he got in an argument with an adviser over which term to use in Albuquerque, saying he wanted to use Hispanic.
He then took a couple of informal polls of the crowd, asking them to cheer for the term they preferred best (Hispanic) and asking them whether they have cast a ballot yet (a mix).
“I should’ve done this trip about a week earlier. It’s all right, these are minor mistakes,” he said. “It’s good to be with you. I don’t give a damn. I don’t give a damn.”
Trump’s campaign issued a statement in response to the Puerto Rico controversy to say that the “island of garbage” remark “does not reflect the views of President Trump or the campaign.” Trump himself has claimed not to know the comedian, Tony Hinchcliffe, even though he was opening for the former president at “the world’s most famous arena.”
But the comment sparked a tidal wave of criticism from Democrats, Republicans and celebrities with Puerto Rican heritage — some of whom took the opportunity to endorse Harris.
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