Row over ‘island of garbage’ comment: Puerto Rico’s unique relationship with US, influence in polls

The comments invited ridicule from Hispanic groups on both sides of the political aisle, raising questions about their likely impact on the campaign.

We explain Puerto Rico’s relationship with the US and the likely fallout these comments could have on Trump’s campaign.

Puerto Rico’s relationship with the US

Puerto Rico is officially an unincorporated territory of the United States.

The island is part of the West Indies archipelago and is located about 1,600 kilometres off the coast of Florida. US victory in the Spanish-American War in 1898 led to Spain ceding it, as well as the territories of Guam and the Philippines.

Since 1917, Puerto Ricans have been granted US citizenship at birth, but they do not enjoy many of the rights that mainlander Americans enjoy. While Puerto Ricans living in the US and registered to vote enjoy voting rights, those living in Puerto Rico cannot vote in the presidential election on November 5. However, Puerto Rico residents are eligible to vote in the primaries and caucuses in the run-up to the parties nominating their candidates.

One delegate represents the territory in the House of Representatives, with no Senate representation. They can introduce legislation, offer amendments or vote in committees, but cannot vote on matters that demand a full House vote.

Puerto Rico’s contentious status has triggered debate among its residents over the years, with the island heading to vote on a non-binding plebiscite to determine the future of its relationship with the US on November 5. Previous votes on the subject have been unsuccessful: the 2012 vote was marked by blank ballots, triggering a mass boycott in the 2017 vote. In 2020, 52.52 per cent voted in favour of statehood. This led to the passage of a bill on the motion for Puerto Rico to be recognised as the 51st American state in the House of Representatives, but it died in the Senate.

According to Time, this situation presents the ‘colonial catch-22’, with Puerto Rico’s colony status being tied to its lack of leverage in Congress.

How could Hinchcliffe’s remarks impact the election?

Puerto Rican-origin citizens form a sizable part of the electorate. A Pew Centre report estimated 36.2 million Hispanic people – about 14.7 per cent of the population – as eligible to vote in this year’s election. According to the US Census Bureau, citizens of Puerto Rican origin form the second-largest group at 5.8 million.

Nearly one million voters in this demographic live in swing states with over a half – around 470,000 – residing in Pennsylvania, according to US Census Bureau American Community Survey estimates. Hunter College’s Centre for Puerto Rican Studies estimates this to amount to 3.1 per cent of the state’s vote.

The backlash to the comedian’s comments has been swift and cut across political lines: Republican Congresswoman Maria Elvira Salazar wrote in a post on X that she was disgusted with Hinchcliffe’s racist comments and that they did not reflect the values of the Grand Old Party (GOP).

Disgusted by @TonyHinchcliffe’s racist comment calling Puerto Rico a ‘floating island of garbage.’

This rhetoric does not reflect GOP values.

Puerto Rico sent 48,000+ soldiers to Vietnam, with over 345 Purple Hearts awarded. This bravery deserves respect.

Educate yourself!

— María Elvira Salazar 🇺🇸 (@MaElviraSalazar) October 27, 2024

Many Puerto Ricans have also recalled Trump’s own comments in the past. In the aftermath of Hurricane Maria in 2017, the former President reportedly called the island dirty and mentioned trading Puerto Rico for Greenland, a Danish territory.

Trump had also overstated the amount of aid that was provided to the island, claiming the island was given $91 billion instead of the $40.8 billion actually allocated by Congress, according to The Washington Post. This, accompanied by his infamous visit to the island wherein he threw out paper towels to a crowd at a relief centre, has motivated prominent Puerto Ricans to rally against the Republican campaign.

The Archbishop of San Juan, Puerto Rico, on Monday demanded a personal apology from Trump. The island’s prominent newspaper El Nuevo Día endorsed his rival, Vice President Kamala Harris, and accused Trump of continuing “a discourse of contempt and misinformation” against Puerto Rico, revealing “disdain for a people who do not have the power of the vote to defend themselves.”

This endorsement comes amidst a series of prominent Puerto Rican musicians endorsing Harris, including Bad Bunny, Jennifer Lopez (who is ethnically Puerto Rican) and Ricky Martin.