DES MOINES, IA - JANUARY 30: U.S. President Donald Trump gives a kiss on the cheek to Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds during a campaign rally inside of the Knapp Center arena at Drake University on January 30, 2020 in Des Moines, Iowa. President Trump is campaigning in Iowa a few days before nation’s first presidential caucuses. (Photo by Tom Brenner/Getty Images)
Donald Trump has frustrated multiple officials and community leaders in Iowa – a state in which the future of his political career could rest.
After reports that Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds (R-Iowa) was in close contact with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-Florida)—Trump’s biggest opponent in the 2024 Republican presidential primaries — Trump took to his Truth Social account to remind the public that he launched Reynolds’ career.
“I opened up the Governor position for Kim Reynolds,” Trump wrote. “And when she fell behind, I ENDORSED her, did big Rallies and she won. Now, she wants to remain ‘NEUTRAL.’ I don’t invite her to events!”
Conservative Iowans who are loyal to Reynolds did not take kindly to Trump’s post. Cody Hoefert, who served as co-chair of the Iowa Republican Party from 2014 to 2021, criticized Trump’s selfishness.
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“I’m tired of the former president making everything about himself and attacking his friends and potential supporters and other Republicans who are doing great conservative things over what seems like a personal vendetta,” Hoefert told the New York Times.
Iowan Republican operative David Kochel defended Reynolds after Trump’s attack on the governor.
“Kim Reynolds is very popular in Iowa,” said Kochel. “She hasn’t attacked Trump… she told everyone she’ll go to their events, and the fact that he has such an ego he assumes everyone has to endorse him. That’s not going to happen in these early states.”
Trump also offended one of the state’s political evangelical leaders, Bob Vander Plaats, by not attending a gathering of presidential candidates that was held in Des Moines last week. Many believe that his skipping out on the event was a signal from Trump that he is above the other Republican candidates, though a spokesperson for the former president cited a “scheduling conflict” as the reason for his absence.
While Trump’s behavior was not favored among Iowa officials, his team still believes that he has enough support among voters to win the state.
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