DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — is set to headline his eighth campaign event in Iowa in under two months on Sunday, as part of his busy fall schedule leading up to the first-in-the-nation caucuses in January.
Trump’s upcoming speech will take place at the historic Orpheum Theater in downtown Sioux City, a Republican stronghold in western Iowa. Prior to this event, Trump held rallies in New Hampshire and Nevada on Saturday. Trump’s campaign aims to demonstrate its dominance over his opponents by securing early victories in key states.
This event follows Trump being fined $10,000 for violating a court order that prohibited him from verbally attacking court personnel during his New York civil fraud trial.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump Jr. showed his support for his father’s campaign in West Des Moines, where he commended approximately 50 volunteers attending a caucus training session. The campaign has promised a more organized effort in Iowa compared to 2016, when Trump finished second to Texas Sen. Ted Cruz.
In a conversation with reporters, Trump Jr. expressed his belief that the numerous legal cases facing his father will ultimately benefit his political cause. He stated, “If it was one thing that they picked and that they focused on, maybe there would be some merit. But the deluge … it just seems rather extreme.”
Since late September, the former president has attracted around 14,000 people to his events in eastern and central Iowa. In contrast, other contenders in the 2024 race have struggled to draw similar-sized crowds as they compete to emerge as the strongest alternative.
Trump confidently expects a significant victory in Iowa, defying the traditional strategy of setting low expectations. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is actively campaigning in Iowa, has criticized Trump’s approach of skipping Republican debates and focusing solely on large-scale rallies.
DeSantis emphasized Trump’s absence, stating, “Donald Trump’s not willing to show up. He’s missing in action right now.” However, Trump has consistently attracted large audiences to venues like gyms, event centers, and hotel ballrooms.
Although Trump’s appearances have been successful in terms of turnout, some recent statements he made during the Israeli-Hamas conflict have alienated potential supporters. Reverend Joseph Brown, an active evangelical pastor in small-town Washington, Iowa, criticized Trump for criticizing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a time of war.
Brown expressed his view, saying, “This guy was in the middle of watching moms and dads weeping over their little babies who had just been killed.”
