President Donald Trump will hold his Iowa rally after all. On Friday, less than a day after scrapping planned appearances in Iowa and Kansas, the White House confirmed the rallies are back on, with back-to-back events scheduled for Sunday ahead of Tuesday's midterm elections.
The quick reversal, first reported by The Daily Beast, ended a chaotic 24 hours that saw the president pivot to virtual tele-rallies and then pivot back again. A White House official told The Daily Beast in a statement: “Rallies are BACK ON!”
Why the rallies were canceled, and why they are back
A source familiar with the planning told The Daily Beast the appearances had been rearranged for scheduling purposes to make room for dozens of additional tele-rallies recently added to the president's calendar.
“President Trump loves his supporters, and in addition to nearly 20 tele-rallies, he will hold back-to-back rallies in Kansas and Iowa on Sunday,” the source said.
The original cancellation on Thursday caught Republican operatives off guard, according to The Daily Beast, especially with races tightening in states the GOP usually wins. The New York Times reported the reversal was confirmed by a White House official, and CNN described the move as the revival of two rallies in red states that had been scrapped earlier in the week.
What the Iowa rally means for Ashley Hinson
In Iowa, the stakes are clear for Republican Senate candidate Ashley Hinson. Democrat Josh Turek is mounting a serious challenge in a race that has drawn national attention in the campaign's final stretch.
Trump, who is not on the ballot this year, has made himself the centerpiece of the GOP effort to retain control of Congress. For weeks he has asked supporters to “pretend I'm on the ballot” to drive turnout on Tuesday.
The Sunday rally gives Hinson a late-stage boost in front of Iowa voters, returning the president to a state that has been friendly territory for him and where his events historically draw large, energized crowds.
Trump pushes back at speculation over the cancellations
The brief decision to drop the in-person events fueled speculation about the 80-year-old president's health and questions about whether he had given up on certain races. Trump himself confirmed the cancellations Thursday and fired back at a Reuters reporter who asked whether he had canceled the weekend events because he was tired of travel.
“You are a sick guy, Reuters is terrible,” Trump replied.
“I'm not going to Kansas because he's doing very well. Tomorrow I'm going to Florida... You've been following me for two weeks, I feel perfect. You are disgusting. Put yourself in shape; you look like hell.”
By Friday morning, the White House had confirmed the change of plans, and Al Jazeera reported that Trump had put the two rallies back on the calendar a day after announcing their cancellation.
Protests have followed the president on the trail
The campaign swing has not been without friction. Three separate demonstrations disrupted Trump's Thursday rally in South Carolina, where he was campaigning for embattled Senate candidate Darline Graham, the sister of the late Senator Lindsey Graham.
“They always hit me in the middle of my damn punchline,” Trump said minutes into his speech.
In Ohio on Wednesday night, protesters also interrupted the rally, with one shouting an accusation about Jeffrey Epstein's plane, according to The Daily Beast.
Enthusiasm gap looms over Tuesday's midterms
Republicans are working to close an enthusiasm gap heading into Election Day. Early voting data suggests Democrats are considerably more motivated to turn out, according to The Daily Beast's reporting.
The president's midterm rallies have also drawn smaller crowds than his earlier campaigns, when tens of thousands packed stadiums nationwide. Critics of the strategy point to Trump's low approval ratings and voter frustration over cost-of-living pressures, tariffs, and the war in Iran.
For Iowa Republicans, the Sunday rally is a chance to change that narrative. A visit from the sitting president two days before polls open could energize the base in a race where every vote matters, and it signals that the national party has not written off the Hinson campaign.
Frequently asked questions
Will Trump hold a rally in Iowa before the midterms?
Yes. The White House confirmed Friday that Trump will hold back-to-back rallies in Kansas and Iowa on Sunday, two days before Tuesday's midterm elections.
Why were the rallies canceled in the first place?
A source familiar with the planning told The Daily Beast the events were rearranged to accommodate nearly 20 additional tele-rallies added to the president's schedule.
Who is running for Senate in Iowa?
Republican Ashley Hinson is facing Democrat Josh Turek, who is mounting a serious challenge in a race that has tightened in the campaign's final days.