Donald Trump posted on Truth Social:
“I love Iowa, protected & expanded Ethanol, got 28 Billion Dollars from China for our great Farmers, ended the Estate (Death!) Tax on farms, made the best TRADE deals in history (USMCA, China, & many more), introduced the World to our FARMERS, & kept Iowa’s “First in the Nation” status. I opened up the Governor position for Kim Reynolds, & when she fell behind, I ENDORSED her, did big Rallies, & she won. Now, she wants to remain “NEUTRAL.” I don’t invite her to events! DeSanctus down 45 points!”
Former President Donald Trump took a swipe at Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, a fellow Republican, regarding her approach to the 2024 GOP presidential primary field. Trump’s team reportedly expressed frustrations that Reynolds has been too supportive of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’s campaign.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump highlighted his accomplishments in Iowa, such as protecting and expanding ethanol, securing billions of dollars from China for farmers, eliminating the estate tax on farms, and negotiating trade deals. He also mentioned his role in opening up the governor position for Reynolds and endorsing her during her successful campaign. However, Trump expressed disappointment that Reynolds now wants to remain “neutral” in the 2024 primary. As a result, Trump stated that he won’t invite her to his events, and he referenced DeSantis’s apparent decline in the polls.
Trump’s comments came after Reynolds appeared alongside Casey DeSantis, Ron DeSantis’s wife, at the launch of the “Mamas for DeSantis” initiative for the Florida governor’s presidential campaign. This follows a New York Times report that highlighted frustrations within Trump’s campaign about Reynolds’s perceived support for DeSantis, including her presence at multiple events with him while not attending a recent event with Trump himself in the state.
Reynolds has previously stated that she intends to remain neutral during the primary process, wanting all candidates to feel welcome to campaign in Iowa. The state’s caucus, scheduled for January 2024, holds significant importance as the first contest in the GOP primary calendar. Recent polling in Iowa has shown Trump with a substantial lead over DeSantis, who is currently running in second place. Political strategists believe that any candidate challenging Trump will need a strong showing in Iowa to have a chance at surpassing him in the overall race.
