Trump’s New York rally attacks Harris

Republican Donald Trump led a headline-grabbing New York rally on Sunday with nonstop attacks on Kamala Harris, but Democrats sought to capitalize on crude insults from some of his allies’ opening speeches.

Trump took to the stage at the iconic 20,000-seat Madison Square Garden arena to deliver a closing message in the exceedingly tight race for the White House that reaches its apogee on 5 November.

“You’ve destroyed our country. We’re not going to take it anymore, Kamala,” the 78-year-old told roaring supporters wearing trademark red “Make America Great Again” hats.

Several speakers drew cheers with their own barbs against Harris as well as Puerto Rico and Latinos at the rally in the Democratic stronghold city.

Comedian Tony Hinchcliffe took aim at birthrates among Latinos and called the caribbean US territory Puerto Rico “a floating island of garbage.”

Harris, 60, seized on the attacks as she competes with the ex-president to win over Puerto Rican communities in the tight battleground states expected to decide the election.

“Puerto Ricans deserve a president who sees and invests in (their) strength,” Harris said in a clip published on social media alongside Hinchcliffe’s comments.

Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman, a Democrat, noted the state is home to almost half a million Puerto Ricans and nearly three quarters are able to vote.

Ricky Martin, the Puerto Rican superstar with 18.6 million followers on Instagram, quickly shared a video of Harris’ appeal to Puerto Rican voters, along with a clip of Hinchcliffe’s remarks.

“This is what they think of us,” Martin wrote in Spanish. “Vote for @kamalaharris.”

Puerto Rican singer Bad Bunny also showed support for the vice president by sharing one of her videos to his 45.6 million followers on Instagram.

Trump’s rally at “The World’s Most Famous Arena” included a surprise appearance by his wife Melania and backers such as billionaire Elon Musk, who has personally hit the campaign trail for the ex-president.

However, the venue also hosted a far-right, pro-Hitler rally in 1939, complete with eagles, Nazi insignia and salutes — an association that has generated darker headlines.

Professional wrestling legend Hulk Hogan, who also spoke at the Republican convention in July, rejected criticisms of the rally: “I don’t see any Nazis in here.”