President Donald Trump will hold rallies in Iowa and Kansas on Sunday, Oct. 30's reversal of plans to scrap the events in favor of tele-rallies, a decision that lands squarely in the middle of two Senate races that polls show are tighter than anyone expected in states he carried comfortably in 2024.
The Republican National Committee announced Friday afternoon that the president will now appear in Dubuque, Iowa, and Salina, Kansas,
The weekend swings had been canceled just a day earlier, with the RNC saying the party was in a strong position. A source familiar with the plans told
Why the reversal matters for Iowa
GOP Senate candidates in Iowa and Kansas are locked in close races with control of the Senate potentially on the line. Trump was in Iowa last week and held a Kansas rally on Oct. 19, so Sunday's stops mark a return to states that Republicans once assumed would not need presidential attention this late in the cycle.
Trump has spent recent weeks crisscrossing the country, telling voters to pretend he is on the ballot. He is also planning tele-rallies in 19 states in the coming days, according to CBS News.
Trump bristles at questions about his stamina
The reversal came after a testy exchange Thursday, when a reporter asked whether Trump canceled the Kansas rally because he was sick of travel.
You are disgusting. Put yourself in shape. You look like hell, the president said, adding that he felt perfect.
Farm economy looms over Kansas race
In Kansas, Trump told KCMO radio Friday that he imagines incumbent Republican Sen. Roger Marshall is in good shape against Democrat Adam Hamilton, praising Marshall as a champion for farmers. But The race is unexpectedly tight given Trump won Kansas by 16 points in 2024, and the farm economy is a big reason why.
There's a lot of pissed-off farmers right now at Trump and Marshall, said Kansas farmer Jeff Preisser, because you see the situation we're in.
Preisser told CBS News it cost his family $737,375 more to operate their farm in 2026 than last year, almost entirely due to higher diesel and fertilizer costs, while drought, low commodity prices and trade wars cut their revenue by $325,000. Those pressures are familiar to Iowa producers watching the same input costs climb.
Alaska ballot confusion draws Trump's attention
On KCMO, Trump also weighed in on the Alaska Senate race, where Republican Sen. Dan S. Sullivan faces both Democrat Mary Peltola and a man named Dan J. Sullivan. Trump said voters need a 190 IQ to understand the ballot.
The New York Times reported that operatives aligned with Peltola's campaign helped recruit Dan J. Sullivan to the ballot. Peltola denied any involvement Friday in Juneau, saying she knew nothing about any other candidates and is not interested in tricking voters. The Justice Department has issued subpoenas in a criminal investigation, and Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy has ordered a state probe.
44.8 million ballots already cast
Voting is well underway ahead of Election Day on Nov. 3. The University of Florida Election Lab counted 44.8 million ballots cast as of Thursday evening, including nearly 23.6 million in-person early votes and 21.3 million returned mail ballots.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where will Trump hold his Iowa rally?
The president will rally in Dubuque, Iowa, on Sunday, according to the Republican National Committee.
Why were the rallies canceled in the first place?
The RNC said the events were scrapped because the party was in a strong position, with the schedule rearranged to accommodate dozens of additional tele-rallies.
When is Election Day?
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026.