Reggaeton artist Nicky Jam pulled his endorsement of former President Trump on Wednesday after backlash over an offensive joke made about Puerto Rico at a Trump rally.
The artist, whose real name is Nick Rivera Caminero, said he initially backed Trump for his economic policies, stating that as a “businessman, I thought it was the best move.” However, following comedian Tony Hinchcliffe’s derogatory remark at the Madison Square Garden event—where he compared Puerto Rico to “floating garbage”—Nicky Jam announced he could no longer support Trump.
In an Instagram post, Nicky Jam expressed frustration with Trump’s response, writing, “Puerto Rico se respeta,” and distancing himself from further political involvement. Many Puerto Rican and Latino voters, particularly along Pennsylvania’s Highway 222 Latino Corridor, have responded strongly, with Michael Toledo of Centro Hispano Daniel Torres explaining that the outrage “caught fire” online and spread quickly.
While Trump’s campaign disavowed the joke, a lack of direct apology has stirred frustration across Latino communities. Trump acknowledged the fallout by saying, “nobody loves our Latino community and our Puerto Rican community more than I do,” though the issue continues to impact his standing with Latino voters in key swing states.
