Former President Trump criticized Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds ahead of her expected endorsement by her primary opponent, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, warning that the move would lead him to “end his political career with MAGA never support him again.”
Reynolds is expected to endorse DeSantis to Trump for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination at a rally in Des Moines on Monday night.
“If and when Iowa’s Kim Reynolds endorses Ron DeSanctimonious, who is absolutely dead in the polls in Iowa and Nationwide, it will be the end of his political career that MAGA will never endorse him again, just as MAGA has never will support DeSanctimonious. again,” Trump posted. “However, two very dishonest people coming together is a wonderful thing to watch.”
IOWA GOV. KIM REYNOLDS TO ENDORSE DESANTIS OVER TRUMP, SOURCES SAY
Florida Gov. spoke. Ron DeSantis at a campaign event with Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds on Friday, March 10, 2023, in Davenport, Iowa. (AP Photo/Ron Johnson)
He added, “They can now stay true to each other because no one else likes them!!!”
Trump also posted over the weekend that Reynolds told him “that he will remain NEUTRAL because I am, ‘Thank you President Trump,’ FIRST IN THE NATION.”
“He wants to campaign on everyone. I told him I should ‘remain neutral’ when he asked me to help him get elected, and I don’t want or need him to campaign on me,” she said. “I’m now 41+ Points up in Iowa!”
Former President Trump speaks to a crowd at a campaign rally on Sept. 25, 2023, in Summerville, South Carolina. (Sean Rayford/Getty Images)
Trump continued to reflect on his past support for Reynolds, citing a Morning Consult poll, which said Reynolds was “America’s most unpopular governor.”
“That’s because people don’t like betrayal!” he said. “I opened the position for Reynolds, so he became Governor of Iowa, by moving Terry Branstad to China as Ambassador. Then I helped him when he was soundly defeated and defeated by the Democratic Candidate, and worked hard to he will be elected, including an Endorsement and Big TRUMP Rally.
“Very importantly, I am the sole reason that Iowa has remained FIRST IN THE NATION,” he said. “I’m Strong on Ethanol, DeSantis voted against it, and other things that are bad for Iowa, like wanting to destroy Social Security and Medicare.”
TRUMP WINDS MAJOR HOME-STATE ENDORSEMENT ON SNUB TO DESANTIS
“Despite all of this, Reynolds has remained Neutral on Endorsements, and he is now the most Unpopular Governor in America, and Ron DeSanctimonious is Second,” Trump continued. “That’s what happens when you’re not loyal to those who brought you there!”
Iowa Gov. spoke. Kim Reynolds at a campaign kickoff event for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in Clive, Iowa, on Tuesday, May 30, 2023. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Trump’s comments came ahead of an expected endorsement late Monday. Reynolds, the state’s popular two-term GOP governor, is set to join DeSantis at his rally in Des Moines as a “special guest,” according to a social media account linked to the Florida governor’s presidential campaign.
Iowa plays an important role in the race for the White House, as its caucuses for half a century have kicked off the GOP presidential nominating calendar. Additionally, Reynolds faced criticism from Trump earlier this year for his pledge to remain neutral in the presidential nomination race, in line with previous Iowa governors.
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While he has remained neutral in the 2024 GOP nomination battle as the field of contenders swelled to more than a dozen candidates, Reynolds – who convincingly won re-election to a second term last year – has repeatedly not ruled out of endorsement as En. 15 Iowa caucuses. soon.
DeSantis has focused most of his campaign trail time and resources in Iowa over the past few months and has so far made stops in 87 of the Hawkeye State’s 99 counties.
Fox News’ Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.
