Puerto Rican reggaeton artist Anuel AA and American singer Justin Quiles publicly showed their support for Donald Trump this Friday, accompanying him to a rally of the former president of the United States and Republican candidate for the White House in the state of Pennsylvania. The presence of the two artists at the event, organized at the beginning of the electoral race, caused a great stir on social networks.
The two artists have already met Trump on the tarmac of the Johnstown airport, the municipality where the rally was held. They greeted each other with a handshake and a brief exchange of words. Later, during the meeting, they were photographed alongside the former president of the United States wearing the tycoon’s motto: “Make America Great Again.” Anuel wore a cap with that phrase, while Quiles wore a version with the phrase “Make Puerto Rico Great Again.”
“We all know it. The world knows it. Everyone has experienced it. The best president the world has ever known, the country has ever known. His name is President Trump,” Anuel AA said on stage. The singer assured during his speech that he had spoken with Trump and that he promised him that he intended to help Puerto Rico “grow and succeed as a country.” “Puerto Ricans, let’s stay united, let’s vote for Trump,” he asked, before assuring that the current US leader, Joe Biden, “promises and promises but does nothing.”
Justin Quiles, for his part, expressed his support for Trump, saying: “I support you because I think you’re the most honest president we’ve ever had. You tell it like it is, not what you think people want to hear. And that’s very important.” Quiles, who was born in Connecticut and raised in Puerto Rico, also shared an image on his social media with the white cap signed by Trump.
The two men’s statements went viral on social media, including on X. Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr., shared the footage with a message: “This is huge! One of the most influential Latino rappers in the world just endorsed my father, President Trump, in Pennsylvania! These guys get it, and so do their supporters, and they know America and the world will be better off with Trump.”
The participation of Anuel AA and Justin Quiles in the rally has sparked controversy, particularly due to the historical tensions between Trump and Puerto Rico. During his term, Trump was criticized for his handling of the crisis following Hurricane Maria, which in 2017 caused devastation on the island, leaving thousands dead and large areas without water or electricity for months.
During a visit to Puerto Rico, Trump downplayed the impact of the disaster, calling it a minor catastrophe compared to other hurricanes, and in 2018 he sparked controversy by denying the official death toll attributed to Hurricane Maria, suggesting without evidence that Democrats had manipulated the data to hurt him politically.
The presence and speeches of the artists at the Trump rally highlighted the political and social divisions that exist both in Puerto Rico and in the Latino community in the United States. The participation of public figures in political events can influence the support of their supporters, adding further complexity to the American electoral landscape, particularly as Trump seeks to mobilize and consolidate Latino support ahead of the 2024 U.S. elections.
