Former President Donald Trump made a surprise appearance at the Iowa State Fair on Saturday, August 12, 2023, drawing huge crowds of supporters and overshadowing his potential rivals for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination. Trump’s visit also raised questions about his legal troubles and his role in the 2020 election, as he faces another possible indictment in Georgia for allegedly interfering with the vote count.
Trump Flies Over DeSantis’ Event
Trump’s arrival at the fair was announced by his private jet flying over the fairgrounds, just as Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who is widely seen as Trump’s main challenger for the GOP nomination, was flipping pork chops and mingling with potential caucus-goers. DeSantis, who has been praised by Trump for his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and his conservative policies, did not mention Trump in his remarks and tried to downplay the significance of the flyover.
“I don’t think it really matters,” DeSantis said. “I mean, I think people are going to make their decisions based on who they think can lead and who they think has a vision for the future.”
DeSantis was not the only Republican hopeful at the fair. Former Vice President Mike Pence, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, and South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem were also in attendance, but none of them drew as much attention as Trump or DeSantis.
Trump Draws Massive Crowd and Media Attention
Trump was greeted by thousands of cheering fans as he made his way through the fairgrounds, accompanied by several members of Congress from Florida who have endorsed him over DeSantis. He stopped at the Iowa Pork Producers tent, where he waved a grilled pork chop at the crowd and handed it to a supporter. He then moved to a riser, where he gave a brief speech touting his support from Iowa and his achievements as president.
“We’re going to take care of Iowa,” Trump said. “You have to stay strong; we have bad, bad people from within.”
Trump also spoke to reporters several times during his visit, repeating his baseless claims that the 2020 election was rigged and that he won by a landslide. He dismissed the possibility of taking a plea deal in any of the criminal cases against him, saying that he did nothing wrong and that the charges were politically motivated.
“I can tell you one thing, there was a lot of shenanigans going on with the elections,” Trump said. “A lot of bad things took place during that election.”
Trump Faces Another Indictment in Georgia
Trump’s visit to Iowa came as he is expected to be indicted soon in Georgia for allegedly pressuring state officials to overturn the election results in his favor. According to reports, a grand jury in Fulton County is set to hear evidence from prosecutors this week and could issue an indictment as early as next week.
The case stems from a phone call that Trump made to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger on January 2, 2021, in which he asked him to “find” enough votes to reverse his loss to Joe Biden. The call was recorded and leaked to the media, sparking outrage and condemnation from Democrats and some Republicans.
Trump is already facing three other indictments in New York for tax fraud, bank fraud, and insurance fraud. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges and has accused the prosecutors of being part of a “witch hunt” against him.
Trump’s Iowa State Fair Visit Signals His 2024 Ambitions
Trump has not officially announced his candidacy for 2024, but he has hinted that he will run again and has maintained a strong grip on the Republican Party and its base. His visit to Iowa, which holds the first-in-the-nation caucuses every four years, was seen by many as a clear sign of his intentions and his dominance over the field.
According to a recent poll by The Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa Poll, Trump leads the GOP pack with 53% support among likely Republican caucus-goers, followed by DeSantis with 22%, Pence with 8%, Haley with 5%, Pompeo with 4%, Noem with 3%, and others with 1% or less.
Trump also enjoys high approval ratings among Iowa Republicans, with 86% saying they have a favorable opinion of him and 81% saying they approve of how he handled his job as president.
However, Trump also faces some challenges in Iowa, where he lost some support among independent voters and suburban women in 2020 compared to 2016. He also faces some resistance from some local GOP leaders who have criticized him for spreading lies about the election and inciting the violent insurrection at the Capitol on January 6.
Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, who endorsed Trump in 2020 but has not committed to supporting him in 2024, did not meet with him at the fair and said she was focused on her own reelection campaign.
“I’m not going to get involved in 2024,” Reynolds said. “I’m running for governor in 2022.”
