During a campaign-style event in Iowa, former President Donald Trump centered his message on economic recovery, portraying his first year back in office as a period of historic revitalization. He cited inflation control, rising wages, and increased investment as evidence of progress, using statistics—some presented selectively or without full context—to reinforce his claims. Trump warned that Democratic victories in upcoming midterm elections could jeopardize these advancements, urging strong Republican turnout. The visit highlighted Iowa’s emerging significance as a competitive arena for House seats, with Democrats challenging three Republican-held districts. His appearance aligns with a broader strategy to mobilize supporters in key regions where his influence remains strong, despite internal party concerns about narrow margins in Congress. Trump linked national policies to local impact, emphasizing ethanol regulations, agricultural relief, deregulation for farmers and manufacturers, and trade agreements that he said boosted exports of soybeans, pork, and biofuels—though some industry voices argue his tariff approach has had mixed results. He spotlighted John Deere’s plan to build an excavator plant in North Carolina, calling it a win for domestic manufacturing. On housing and healthcare, he promoted direct consumer subsidies and an executive order limiting institutional investors from buying single-family homes, aiming to protect homeownership. He also defended strict immigration enforcement as vital to public safety, even as scrutiny grows over federal agent actions in Minnesota. Brief mentions of foreign policy, including operations in Iran and Venezuela, were tied to domestic stability. While Trump briefly digressed—mocking French President Macron’s eyewear and halting a story on drug pricing—he maintained tighter focus than in past rallies, closing with assertions of unmatched presidential achievement.
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Trump in Iowa tries to shift the conversation back to the economy
For much of the rally, Trump cast his first year back in office as a completed turnaround rather than a work in progress, repeatedly declaring — with at times exaggerated or out-of-context statistics — that inflation has been beaten, wages are rising and investment is surging while warning that a Democratic victory in the midterms would put those gains at risk. n n“We got to win the midterms, I mean, I’m here because I love Iowa, but I’m here because we’re starting the campaign to win the midterms, we got to win the midterms,” Trump said. “If we lose the midterms, you’ll lose so many of the things that we’re talking about.” n nThe brief swing through Iowa itself underscored the political stakes: The state has emerged as an unexpectedly competitive battleground for House Republicans, with Democrats targeting three GOP-held seats. The president’s visit reflects a broader White House strategy of deploying him to energize turnout in districts where he is still popular, even as Republicans privately acknowledge the structural risks of a midterm election with razor-thin margins in the House. n nAnd it comes amid a growing sense of urgency inside the White House, where aides have been grappling with stubborn voter frustration over the economy and mounting backlash over Trump’s immigration agenda, tensions that have sharpened in recent weeks following the killing of two Americans by federal agents in Minnesota. n nAgainst that backdrop, Trump used the rally to elevate specific Republican candidates, repeatedly urging the crowd to turn out for House and Senate races he framed as essential to protecting his agenda. n nHe also sharpened his case for Iowa voters by tying national policy to local outcomes. He highlighted ethanol policy, farm relief payments, deregulation centered on farmers and manufacturers and trade deals he said had boosted demand for soybeans, pork and biofuels. (Some Iowa voters and industry groups have argued his tariff policies have hurt more than they’ve helped.) n nAt one point, he shouted out to John May, the CEO of John Deere, as proof of how his tariff policies are working, announcing that the equipment maker plans to build an excavator manufacturing plant in North Carolina. Trump said the facility would produce the first entirely American-made excavators. n n“This has been the most dramatic one-year turnaround of any country in history in terms of the speed,” Trump said. “It’s amazing. And it’s because of tariffs.” n nTrump leaned into populist appeals on housing and health care, reviving long-standing attacks on the Affordable Care Act and arguing that federal health care subsidies should flow directly to consumers. He touted an executive order aimed at curbing large institutional investors’ purchases of single-family homes, framing it as an effort to preserve homeownership without depressing property values for existing homeowners. n nTrump also argued that tougher immigration enforcement has helped restore public safety and bolster national stability — a claim that comes against the backdrop of intense scrutiny over federal operations in Minnesota, where the recent shootings involving Border Patrol and ICE agents have sparked protests and debate over their tactics. n nThe president’s references to Iran and Venezuela were brief, folded into a broader argument about domestic strength. He cited military operations abroad as proof that his administration had restored deterrence and control — a theme he repeatedly tied back to immigration enforcement, public safety and economic stability at home. n nStill, flashes of Trump’s familiar grievances surfaced — attacks on Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) and continued criticism of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, among them — reminders of the impulses that have often pulled his rallies off message. But unlike at many past events, Trump appeared conscious of the drift — and he managed to rein it in. n nAt one point, he veered into a digression about French President Emmanuel Macron — pausing to mock the glasses Macron wore during a recent appearance at the World Economic Forum in Davos — before abruptly cutting himself off as he began recounting drug-price negotiations with France. n n“I don’t want to go into the whole story,” he said. “Bottom line … I got something done that no other president could have gotten done.”