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 Former President Donald Trump closed his Madison Square Garden rally on Sunday with an ominous 80-minute speech denouncing his political rivals, assailing immigrants and promising to invoke an 18th century law to pave the way for mass deportations.

But it was the opening acts of the New York City rally – a hodgepodge of donors, entertainers and MAGA politicians – who unleashed an eleventh-hour campaign furor that prompted angry rebukes from Democrats and some Republicans who worried the vengeful show would hurt their standing with moderate voters.

Local Trump loyalists, who made up many of the speakers’ list ahead of the former president, took the opportunity to spew familiar grievances at some of Trump’s favorite targets. One failed Republican House candidate labeled Harris “the antichrist.”

He hardly stood out.

The rally began with Tony Hinchcliffe, a comedian and podcast host, assailing Puerto Rico – in the city that’s home to the largest Puerto Rican population on the US mainland. About 500,000 Puerto Ricans also live in battleground Pennsylvania, where Harris campaigned on Sunday.

“There’s a lot going on, like, I don’t know if you know this but there’s literally a floating island of garbage in the middle of the ocean right now,” he said. “I think it’s called Puerto Rico.”

The line was well-received by Trump supporters who filled the historic arena in Midtown Manhattan. Trump has recently taken to calling the US “a garbage can for the world” when he rails against undocumented immigrants.

“These Latinos, they love making babies, too. Just know that they do,” Hinchcliffe continued.

After the rally, Trump’s campaign sought to distance itself from Hinchcliffe, who like the other speakers was an invited guest, and his comments about Puerto Rico.

“This joke does not reflect the views of President Trump or the campaign,” Trump campaign spokesperson Danielle Alvarez said in a statement to CNN.

But Harris’ campaign had already seized on the comments about Puerto Rico, quickly clipping the video and posting it on social media channels. The vice president on Sunday visited a Puerto Rican restaurant in North Philadelphia, where she discussed her vision for the island along with plans to lower costs and create opportunity in Puerto Rican communities on the mainland.

Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny, whose album “Un Verano Sin Ti” was the most-streamed album globally in 2023, posted a video of Harris spelling out her plan for Puerto Rico to his 45 million Instagram followers shortly after Hinchcliffe left the stage.

Republican Sen. Rick Scott of Florida, whose reelection campaign depends on sizable support from the state’s Puerto Rican community, joined the backlash, writing of the “joke” on X, “It’s not funny and it’s not true. Puerto Ricans are amazing people and amazing Americans!”

Another Florida Republican, Rep. Carlos Gimenez, a close ally of Trump’s, blasted the remarks. “This is not a joke. It’s completely classless & in poor taste,” he said on X. “@TonyHinchcliffe clearly isn’t funny & definitely doesn’t reflect my values or those of the Republican Party.”

New York GOP Rep. Anthony D’Esposito, who’s facing a competitive reelection, also responded on X by saying, “I’m proud to be Puerto Rican,” adding, “The only thing that’s ‘garbage’ was a bad comedy set. Stay on message.”

Hinchcliffe, also on social media, addressed the furor, saying that his critics “have no sense of humor.”

“I love Puerto Rico and vacation there. I made fun of everyone … watch the whole set,” he wrote.

Trump — who was introduced by former first lady Melania Trump in her first speaking role at a rally this cycle — largely stuck to the script in his own remarks, including his now common assertion that his political rivals represent a traitorous “enemy within.”

“We’re running against a massive, crooked, malicious leftist machine that’s running the Democrat party,” the former president said. “They are smart and vicious, they are the enemy within, we must defeat them.”

Another warm-up act, former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, reprised his old attacks on Harris and the idea, as he described it, of Americans celebrating her possible election.

 Donald Trump’s rally at Madison Square Garden, billed as a triumphant homecoming, turned into a political fiasco on Sunday night as a pro-Trump comedian’s racist diatribe drew furious condemnation, including from prominent Republicans.

The rally, held just more than a week before Election Day, was intended to serve as a platform for Trump to make his closing argument. But the racist slurs and vulgarity of the former president’s opening acts were so striking — and sparked such backlash — that his campaign was left on the defensive and issued a disavowal.

 When the season started, the Dallas Cowboys never believed they would be in such a predicament after seven games.

With Sunday's 30-24 loss to the San Francisco 49ers, the Cowboys are 3-4 and closer to the bottom of the NFC than a Super Bowl contender at the moment.

"We're disappointed," coach Mike McCarthy said. "Our men really had a good week of preparation. I thought there were areas of improvement. But still, we have a ton to work on."

The last time the Cowboys had a 3-4 record with a healthy Dak Prescott at quarterback was 2018. In 2020, the Cowboys were 2-5 on their way to 2-7, but Prescott suffered a compound fracture and dislocation of his right ankle in the fifth game of the season.

The 2018 Cowboys were jump-started by a midseason trade for wide receiver Amari Cooper and finished the campaign with a 10-6 record, winning the NFC East and a playoff game. Only five players active on Sunday remain from the 2018 roster -- Prescott, running back Ezekiel Elliott, right guard Zack Martin, cornerback Jourdan Lewis and special-teamer C.J. Goodwin.

The Cowboys will play at the Atlanta Falcons, leaders of the NFC South, next week.

"We know what it takes in this league," Prescott said. "You got hot, you get rolling, that's all you're looking to do. That's my point, that this is frustrating but nobody is giving up. Nobody is shook, as you can say, from where we're at. We just got to focus up, get ready to go on the road and got another good team coming up and do whatever we can do make sure we come out with a victory. Get even. Then worry about after that after this next road game."

The Cowboys' next four opponents -- the Falcons, Philadelphia Eagles, Houston Texans and Washington Commanders -- are a combined 22-9 after each won on Sunday.

"We've got to go every Sunday by Sunday," Lewis said. "We can't think about the future. That's where we are now: thinking about that next game and that next opportunity."

Frustration, however, is growing. The Cowboys have lost four straight games to the 49ers, including two postseason contests and three in a row at Levi's Stadium.

Dallas cornerback Trevon Diggs, still in uniform, came out of the locker room to confront a television reporter about a tweet during the game that appeared to question his effort.

"It really sucks," wide receiver CeeDee Lamb said. "Especially coming here three times in the last three years. It's sickening."

Despite falling behind 27-10 after being outscored 21-0 and outgained 167 yards to 16 in the third quarter, the Cowboys still had a chance to pull out an improbable victory, but Prescott had four straight incompletions after taking over with 3:05 to play.

It was the end to a game Prescott would like to forget. While he threw two fourth-quarter touchdown passes to Lamb, Prescott became the first Cowboys quarterback with two interceptions in three straight games since Troy Aikman in 1992, according to ESPN Research.

Prescott finished 25-of-38 for 243 yards and was sacked twice.

"I mean me, personally frustrated. Frustrated myself in my play. I imagine the rest of the guys are," Prescott said. "Not getting the win, two in a row now, sitting at 3-4. But I can definitely tell you that nobody's shaken or giving up. Frustration is very high. But it's a long season. I mean it's a long season. Division games, a lot are still ahead of us.

"Frustrated. That's the best way that I can put it."

 One of the world's most famous New Yorkers is at the World's Most Famous Arena in New York today.

Former president and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump is hosting a rally in Madison Square Garden at 5 p.m. The Garden is home to the New York Knicks and Rangers with a variety of shows and concerts in between.

It can hold more than 20,000 people for boxing events and typically welcomes more than 19,000 for NHL and NBA games.

How many people are at Trump MSG rally?

Trump is at Madison Square Garden today looking to energize Republican voters. The event starts at 5 p.m., but doors opened to attendees at noon.

Tickets to Trump rallies are commonly first-come, first-served with no assigned seats. So, the number of tickets issued doesn’t always equal the number of attendees.

A study by the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation estimates Trump’s rally crowds have averaged about 5,600 people this year.

While a venue bearing the name Madison Square Garden has been around for nearly a century, the current arena has been open since 1968.

Madison Square Garden hasn't held a political event in a long time. New York City and the surrounding area is a Democratic stronghold in recent presidential elections.

But, New York City did throw its hat in the ring to host this year's Democratic National Convention. The DNC was in MSG in 1924, 1976, 1980 and 1992. The arena hosted the Republican National Convention in 2004.

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Former presidents John F. Kennedy, Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Richard Nixon held events in MSG. FDR and Nixon's events were campaign rallies.

Other global figures have been to the Garden in past decades, some with better legacies than others. Pope Francis held a mass in MSG in front of a capacity crowd in 2015. Pope St. John Paul II also held a youth rally in the arena in 1979.

In February 1939, the arena was host to a rally held by the German American Bund, a Nazi-supporting American-based group that gained popularity during World War II. The arena was at capacity for that event.

 Yet another WNBA team announced a coaching change when the Indiana Fever said Sunday that they had "parted ways" with coach Christie Sides.

The Fever, who were led by 2024 No. 1 pick and rookie of the year Caitlin Clark, are coming off the franchise's first playoff berth since 2016.

Under Sides, who spent two years as head coach, Indiana went 33-47, including a 20-20 record in 2024. The Fever's season ended with a two-game sweep in the first round of the playoffs by the Connecticut Sun.

Sides was hired after the 2022 campaign to replace Marianne Stanley and her interim successor, Carlos Knox. Sides had two seasons remaining on a four-year contract. The Fever have not had a head coach stay longer than three seasons since Lin Dunn (2008-14).

Indiana started the 2024 season with a 1-8 in record in May, going up against what ESPN Analytics deemed the toughest schedule in the WNBA prior to the Olympic break. The Fever eventually figured out an identity surrounding their new franchise piece in Clark and from June 1 to Sept. 10 boasted the third-best record in the league at 18-9. Their offensive rating (109.6 points per 100 possessions) was best in the league after the Olympic break.

We are incredibly thankful to Coach Sides for embracing the challenge of leading us through an integral transition period over the last two seasons, while also positioning us well for future growth," Fever president of basketball operations Kelly Krauskopf said in a statement. "While decisions like these are never easy, it is also imperative that we remain bold and assertive in the pursuit of our goals, which includes

maximizing our talent and bringing another WNBA championship back to Indiana. Coach Sides was an incredible representative of the Fever and our community, and we wish her nothing but success in the future."

Earlier this month, Krauskopf -- a former Indiana Pacers executive who announced she was returning to the Fever after a lengthy career with the franchise -- appeared to give a vote of confidence in Sides.

"It takes time," Krauskopf said at her introductory news conference. "It took a long time for the teams that I've had to jell and to get together, I mean, years. It doesn't happen in four months. It takes a few years. I was really impressed with the progress that they made and how Christie is a resilient leader. You know, she's a culture builder. I know just that she's got that kind of, you know, stamina to stick to it and stick to her plan, and she's a good person, and she's a great leader. I was impressed with the way they finished."

The Fever, who along with Clark return 2023 rookie of the year Aliyah Boston and hope to re-sign All-Star Kelsey Mitchell in free agency, will enter 2025 with a new head coach, general manager (the recently hired Amber Cox) and president in Krauskopf.

Indiana is now the sixth WNBA team with a head-coach opening, alongside the Los Angeles Sparks, Chicago Sky, Atlanta Dream, Dallas Wings and Washington Mystics. Six of the bottom seven teams in the standings are all looking for a new coach.

 Saka has missed our last two games after picking up a hamstring injury while on international duty, and Timber has recovered from a groin problem after sitting out the last three matches.

However we are without both Riccardo Calafiori – who went off injured against Shakhtar Donetsk – and William Saliba who serves a one-match suspension for his red card against Bournemouth.

It means the back four consists of Thomas Partey, Ben White, Gabriel and Timber – ahead of David Raya in goal.

Declan Rice is joined in midfield by Mikel Merino and Leandro Trossard, before the front line of Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Kai Havertz.

Saka takes the armband as Martin Odegaard is still unavailable.

The visitors are without Diogo Jota, who picked up an injury in their last league meeting against Chelsea, he’s replaced by Darwin Nunez. They make two other changes from that 2-1 win, with Alexis Mac Allister replacing Dominic Szoboszlai and Luis Diaz coming in for Cody Gakpo. 

Arsenal: Raya, Partey, White, Gabriel, Timber, Rice, Merino, Trossard, Saka, Martinelli, Havertz. Subs: Neto, Zinchenko, Kiwior, Nichols, Myles-Skelly, Jorginho, Nwaneri, Sterling, Jesus.

Liverpool: Kelleher, Alexander-Arnold, Konate, van Dijk, Robertson, Jones, Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Diaz, Salah, Nunez. Subs: Jaros, Davies, Gomez, Endo, Szoboszlai, Gakpo, Tsimikas, Quansah, Morton.