Reggaetón star Nicky Jam rescinds Trump endorsement over offensive Puerto Rico joke
WASHINGTON ― Puerto Rican reggaetón star Nicky Jam withdrew his support on Wednesday for Donald Trump in next week's election, the latest fallout after a comedian insulted Puerto Rico as a "floating island of garbage" during the Republican presidential nominee's Sunday rally in New York's Madison Square Garden.
In a video post on Instagram, Jam said he decided to endorse Trump last month because he thought the Republican nominee would be better for the economy.
"Never in my life would I have imagined that a month later a comedian would come and insult my country and speak so poorly about my country," said Jam, speaking in Spanish from the seat of a vehicle. "For that reason, I'm withdrawing my support for Donald Trump and am stepping aside from any politics. Puerto Rico will be respected."
More: Not-so warm Trump welcome in Allentown as Puerto Ricans swing away after offensive rally
Jam, born Nick Rivera Caminero, did not say whether he supports Democratic nominee Kamala Harris or any other candidate in the 2024 election. Jam endorsed Trump in September, appearing with the former president at a campaign rally in Las Vegas while donning a red "Make America Great Again" cap.
Memorably, Trump misgendered Jam while introducing the music star. "Latin music superstar Nicky Jam. Do you know Nicky? She’s hot," Trump said.
More: Trump faces backlash from Bad Bunny, Puerto Ricans amid fight for Latino vote
Several Puerto Rican stars, including Grammy-winning artists Bad Bunny, Ricky Martin and Jennifer Lopez, have condemned the "garbage" insult, which came from comedian Tony Hinchcliffe, who goes by the stage name Kill Tony. In addition to calling Puerto Rico a "floating island of garbage," Hinchcliffe made crude jokes about Latino and Black people.
Puerto Ricans form a growing segment of the population in Pennsylvania, which has 19 electoral votes up for grabs, the most of any of the seven battleground states. The insult has ignited a backlash in Allentown, Pa., the state's third largest city that's more than half Latino.
The Trump campaign has tried to distance itself from Hinchliffe's joke, saying it "does not reflect the views of President Trump or the campaign."
Reach Joey Garrison on X, formerly Twitter, @joeygarrison.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Nicky Jam takes back Trump endorsement over Puerto Rico joke