2024 election updates: Trump concludes MSG rally with anti-immigrant rhetoric

Comedian Tony Hinchcliffe, who called Puerto Rico "a floating island of garbage" at former President Donald Trump's Madison Square Garden rally on Sunday, faces growing backlash from Republicans — including Trump's own campaign.

“This joke does not reflect the views of President Trump or the campaign," Trump campaign's senior adviser Danielle Alvarez wrote in a statement to ABC News.

Senate Republican Rick Scott — who has long supported statehood for Puerto Rico — also wrote on X that the joke was not funny and “bombed for a reason," while House Republican Maria Salazar said on the platform that she was “disgusted” by Hinchcliffe’s rhetoric, which " does not reflect GOP values."

The Republican Party of Puerto Rico also denounced Tony Hinchcliffe's comments in a statement on Sunday, with party chair Angel Cintrón writing that they were "unfortunate, ignorant, and entirely reprehensible."

He added that the comments do not represent the values of any Puerto Ricans, Democrat or Republican, on the island or throughout the United States.

Notably, while Puerto Rico does not vote for president in the general election, since it is a U.S. territory, the Republican Party of Puerto Rico held a primary in April as part of its presidential nominating process. That primary was won by Donald Trump, who netted the territory's delegates.

Hinchcliffe has not yet issued a formal response as the GOP distances itself from him.

He did, however, quickly reply to Tim Walz when the Democratic governor of Minnesota called him a "jackwad," writing on X, “These people have no sense of humor. Wild that a vice presidential candidate would take time out of his 'busy schedule' to analyze a joke taken out of context to make it seem racist.”

Hinchcliffe continued, “I love Puerto Rico and vacation there. I made fun of everyone…watch the whole set. I’m a comedian Tim…might be time to change your tampon.”

The controversy is not a first for Hinchcliffe, who has a history of making racially charged jokes.

In 2021, he came under fire after calling fellow comedian Peng Dang racist names in a mocking Chinese accent. It was during a Big Laugh Comedy show in Austin, Texas, where Dang had just introduced Hinchcliffe to the stage after doing a series of jokes related to #StopAsianHate. During the set, Hinchcliffe reportedly further made racist jokes against Chinese people.

After the incident, Hinchcliffe was reportedly removed from his agency, WME, and dropped from a scheduled episode on Joe Rogan’s podcast. He was also reportedly forced to cancel several upcoming shows.

-ABC News' Lalee Ibssa, Soorin Kim, Oren Oppenheim and Kelsey Walsh

While Trump started his speech with "a message of hope," he quickly went into his usual stump speech, disparaging immigrants and emphasizing a campaign promise to enact mass deportations on "Day 1."

"On Day 1, I will launch the largest deportation program in American history to get the criminals out. I will rescue every city and town that has been invaded and conquered, and we will put these vicious and bloodthirsty criminals in jail. They kick them the hell out of our country as fast as possible," Trump said.

Trump then promised to deliver the death penalty for migrants who kill Americans or police officers.

"I'm here by calling for the death penalty for any migrant that kills an American citizen or law enforcement officer," Trump said.

Calling on supporters to turn out on Election Day, Trump said, "With your help, from now until Election Day, we will restore America's promise. We will put America first, and we will take back the nation that we all love."

-ABC News' Lalee Ibssa

While speaking to his crowd of supporters at Madison Square Garden Sunday, former President Donald Trump suggested a bill be created to punish anyone who burns an American flag with a year in jail.

"I would like to suggest that we put in a bill that if you burn the American flag -- one year in jail," Trump said.

Flag burning is not illegal in the U.S. because it is protected by the First Amendment as a form of symbolic speech.

Former President Donald Trump renewed his previous comments suggesting political opponents are a threat to the U.S., calling them "enemies from within."

"When I say 'the enemy within,' the other side goes crazy," Trump said Sunday on the Madison Square Garden stage. "They have done very bad things, they are indeed the enemy from within," he said.

Trump previously floated the rhetoric during an appearance on Fox News earlier this month.

"I think the bigger problem are the people from within," Trump told Fox News anchor Maria Bartiromo, claiming Democrats are more of a threat to the 2024 presidential election than top foreign adversaries such as China and Russia.

"We have some very bad people. We have some sick people, radical left lunatics," Trump said at the time.

Trump suggested deploying the military against them on American soil, arguing without proof they would be more likely to sow chaos on Nov. 5 than his supporters -- despite what transpired on Jan. 6, 2021.

"I think it should be very easily handled by, if necessary, by National Guard, or if really necessary, by the military, because they can't let that happen," Trump told Bartiromo.