By james art 
Jennifer Lopez has a message for voters, days after speakers spewed racist rhetoric at a Donald Trump rally in New York: The former Republican president has shown Americans who he really is.
The singer and actor gave an emotional speech in support of Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris, Trump’s 2024 White House rival, at an event Thursday in North Las Vegas, Nevada. Lopez called out highly problematic jokes made Sunday by Trump rally speaker Tony Hinchcliffe, who called Puerto Rico a “floating island of trash.”
Hinchcliffe and others at Madison Square Garden also made xenophobic remarks, as well as racist comments about blacks, Palestinians and Jews.
“At Madison Square Garden he [Trump] reminded us of who he really is and how he really feels,” Lopez said Thursday. “It wasn’t just Puerto Ricans who were offended that day. It was every Latino in this country. It was humanity and anyone of decent character.
“I’m American,” she later said. “I am the daughter of Guadalupe Rodriguez and David Lopez, a proud daughter and son of Puerto Rico.”
“We are Americans,” she added.
Elsewhere in her speech, Lopez fought back tears as she encouraged people to vote.
“I promised myself I wouldn’t get emotional. But you know what? you know what We have to be emotional. We should be upset. We should be scared and outraged. I have to,” she said.
“Our pain matters. We matter. You matter, she continued. “Your voice and your voice matter.”
The Trump campaign faced a swift backlash after the New York rally.
This week, Puerto Rican celebrities like Bad Bunny and Ricky Martin pushed back against the rhetoric from the Republican event. Actor Aubrey Plaza, who is of Puerto Rican heritage, similarly condemned Hinchcliffe’s “disgusting remark”.
Trump, meanwhile, tried to distance himself from the position. His team said the “trash” joke “does not reflect the views of President Trump or the campaign.”
But the former president also played down racist and problematic rhetoric from his event.
On Tuesday, he described the rally in New York as “an absolute celebration of love.”