Latest news with #IowaStateFairgrounds
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump, in Iowa, celebrates America's birthday, recent victories
President Donald Trump cheered his signature legislative achievement in Des Moines just hours after Congress passed what he's dubbed 'the one, big, beautiful bill.' "With this bill, every major promise I made to the people of Iowa in 2024 became a promise kept," he told an ebullient crowd at the Iowa State Fairgrounds. The sweeping legislation will make permanent tax cuts that Trump signed into law during his first term, and it makes massive spending cuts to benefit programs like Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. 'We've saved our country,' Trump cheered. Trump was in town to help kick off the one-year lead-up to the nation's semiquincentennial, which celebrates the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. He said he was 'thrilled' to be back in Iowa and reminisced on the historically cold caucus night he won in 2024. "Eighteen months ago, the people of Iowa braved subzero temperatures," Trump said. "Do you remember that night? Oh, that was cold. It was cold but we were warm inside because we won by a landslide to turn out the first in the nation caucuses." It was a sharp departure from the ninety-plus-degree heat that blanketed the fairgrounds Thursday, July 3. But attendees still braved the weather for hours in the lead-up to the event with little reprieve from the baking sun. At the fair's midway point next to the grandstand, a trio of risers bedecked with flag banners formed a semicircle around a raised podium where Trump stood, speaking behind protective glass. Hundreds more chairs completed the circle, with Trump at the center. The crowd fanned out on its feet from there. "President Trump, he could have picked our nation's Capitol in Washington, D.C.," Iowa's Republican Attorney General Brenna Bird told the crowd. "He could have picked Philadelphia, Independence Hall. Thank you, President Trump for picking Iowa and bringing our celebration to the heart of the heartland." In addition to Bird, Iowa's Republican U.S. Sens. Joni Ernst and Chuck Grassley spoke ahead of Trump's visit. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds attended the event, but she did not speak. Trump thanked Reynolds and Lt. Gov. Chris Cournoyer, as well as a string of other Iowa politicians for their support and for attending the event. "There can be no better birthday present for America than the phenomenal victory we achieved just hours ago when Congress passed the One Big Beautiful Bill to make America great again," Trump told the crowd. But Iowa Democrats have been deeply critical of the legislation, saying the cuts will directly harm those who seek out government benefits. The bill will cut Medicaid spending by about $1 trillion over a decade, resulting in 11.8 million people becoming uninsured, and it would cut $300 billion in spending on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, according to estimates from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. Republican Party of Iowa Chair Jeff Kaufmann urged the crowd, "do not cede an inch" when talking to friends and neighbors about the bill's impact. "If you work and if you're legal, you're not going to get kicked off Medicaid," he said. "That's a lie. It's a lie from desperate people." Trump also criticized congressional Democrats, none of whom voted for the package. He suggested Republicans would use Democrats' "no" votes against them in the 2026 elections. "With all of the things we did, with the tax cuts and rebuilding our military, not one Democrat voted for us," he said. "And I think we'll use it in the campaign that's coming up — the midterms. Because we've got to beat them." "But all of the things that we've given and they wouldn't vote, only because they hate Trump — but I hate them too," he added. "You know that? I really do. I hate them. I cannot stand them because I really believe they hate our country, you want to know the truth." Shortly after voting to pass the legislation, Iowa's four Republican members of the U.S. House — U.S. Reps. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, Ashley Hinson, Zach Nunn and Randy Feenstra — joined Trump on Air Force One to fly to the event in Des Moines. They were also joined on board by Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, according to photos shared on social media. After the conclusion of Trump's speech, fireworks lit up over the fairgrounds. The remaining attendees stopped to watch and cheer as they exploded in the sky. In 2023, Trump previewed his vision for including the Iowa State Fair in the nation's 250th birthday celebrations. 'My hope is that the amazing people of Iowa will work with my administration to open up the legendary Iowa State Fairgrounds to host the great American state fair and welcome millions and millions of visitors from around the world to the heartland of America for this special one-time festival,' he said in a May 2023 video. That vision at least partially came to fruition July 3, with thousands of people flocking to the fairgrounds to celebrate Trump. Although the event was ostensibly a nonpartisan event, hosted by the nonprofit organization America250, speakers also used their time to praise Trump, who they said would help usher in next 250 years of American greatness. "Our current president is a direct inheritor of the founders' heroic character," said Monica Crowley, the Trump administration's chief of protocol. "A profoundly brave man driven by the noble fight for American Freedom, guided by the hand of God. From Washington, Adams, Jefferson and Hamilton to Trump, the through lines of history are clear." Dan Thompson, a 76-year-old Ankeny resident, grabbed a bottle of water out of a cooler near the back of the gathering crowd. He'd put a handful of ice under his bucket hat to help cope with the 93-degree heat as he awaited Trump's arrival. Thompson, who said he's seen Trump speak a dozen-or-so times, said the heat was no deterrent and he was excited to see him once again. 'It's just the fun of being with a crowd of people that think the way I do,' Thompson said. 'He does what he says and he doesn't hem and haw.' The crowd was bedecked in red, white and blue apparel, and Trump's signature 'Make America Great Again' hats dotted the crowd. Outside the venue, a line of vendors displayed Trump-themed merchandise for an eager crowd. They included Deborah Yanna, a 60-year-old West Des Moines resident, who stood amidst a sea of sequins as she sold jackets emblazoned with slogans like 'MAGA' and 'Trump Girl.' Her shop, Make America Sparkle Again, has only been in business for a year, but four of her designs are on display in the White House, she said. Others, such as John Senser, traveled from across the country to see Trump in Des Moines. Senser, of Nebraksa, arrived at the fairgrounds dressed as the 'Patriotsaurus,' a bright green, patriotic T-Rex, eager to add to the day's festive atmosphere. Senser runs a small business called Patriotic Enrichment for the Youth of America, and he said he's been dressing up as the Patriotsaurus since he retired. 'Patriotsaurus has been a patriot for 250 million years,' Senser said. Earlier in the day, more than 100 protesters gathered at Windsor Heights' Colby Park pavilion for the Iowa Democratic Party's 'Kill the Bill' rally to oppose the 'one big, beautiful bill,' which passed the House later that afternoon. Many wore blue shirts and held signs, including 'Rural Iowa Deserves Hospitals' and a placard featuring President Donald Trump's portrait topped with a Burger King–style crown and the words, 'Another Big Beautiful Lie, A Real Whopper.' 'Can you believe that Donald Trump is coming all the way to Iowa today, just so that we can tell him what we think of this big, bad, budget-busting bill?' Iowa Democratic Party chair Rita Hart said. Public-school teacher Nancy Baker Curtis said Medicaid has been the backbone of her son Charlie's health-care insurance. Charlie spent 30 days in the hospital after a neonatal septicemia diagnosis, she said. 'I'd like for you to look my son in the face, see his beautiful blue eyes and his bright blue glasses, and promise him that these cuts aren't going to impact his access to health care,' she said. As the pre-program began ahead of Trump's speech, a couple dozen protesters gathered on the corners outside the fairground gates. Towering over the crowd, Perry Kellogg, 65, of Urbandale, brandished a fence post with 'C-O-N-V-I-C-T' pasted down its length. 'Donald Trump's a treasonous criminal,' Kellogg said in a thundering voice. 'Our two sell-out Republican senators voted for this trash of a bill — they've abandoned any duty to represent the people.' Cindy Northcutt, 63, a retired property manager, bore an upside-down American flag and also called out the delegation's votes. 'They voted for this monstrosity — Medicaid, SNAP, Medicare all gutted so billionaires can get richer,' she said, followed by a string of curse words. Other signs of opposition popped up across the city in anticipation of the president's arrival. The Democratic National Committee funded billboards highlighting U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst's vote to support Trump's reconciliation package. Ernst is up for reelection in 2026. DNC Chair Ken Martin said in statement that Trump's appearance would remind Iowans 'that Republicans like Trump and Ernst don't give a damn about whether their own constituents live or die as long as the richest few get richer.' Another group called Rural Voices USA paid for four billboards lining Trump's route from the airport to the fairgrounds that say 'Iowa farmers pay for trade wars.' Des Moines Register reporters Stephen Gruber-Miller, Virginia Barreda, Nick El Hajj, Norah Judson and Nick Meglio contributed to this report. This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Donald Trump in Iowa celebrates America's 250th, Big Beautiful Bill
Newsweek
6 days ago
- Business
- Newsweek
Videos Show Trump's Crowd Size at Iowa State Fair
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. President Donald Trump headlined the Iowa State Fair on Thursday night, hours after Republicans in Congress shepherded through a massive tax and spending package that provides tax cuts for wealthy Americans largely by reducing federal funding for social safety net programs. The Context Thursday's vote capped weeks of nail-biting tension among Republicans as intraparty dissent threatened to derail Trump's "big, beautiful bill," which delivers on his top legislative priorities: cementing the sweeping tax cuts, which disproportionately benefit wealthy Americans, enacted during his first term, and substantially increasing funding for border security and immigration enforcement. The Republican bill pays for the tax cuts and increased border security with deep spending reductions in critical social safety net programs like Medicaid and food assistance. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has estimated that the bill could result in 11.8 million more uninsured Americans by 2034 and add nearly $3.3 trillion to the federal deficit over the next decade. President Donald Trump speaks at the Iowa State Fairgrounds on July 3 in Des Moines. President Donald Trump speaks at the Iowa State Fairgrounds on July 3 in Des Moines. Alex Brandon/AP What To Know Trump took the stage in Iowa shortly after 8 p.m. ET and many of his staunch allies in the right-wing media showcased the size of the crowd through online platforms. 🚨BREAKING: Tens of thousands just honored America at President Trump's Iowa rally with a beautiful rendition of the National Anthem. President Trump makes me PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN! — Bo Loudon (@BoLoudon) July 3, 2025 President Trump praises the passage of the 'big, beautiful bill' during his @America250 kickoff event at the Iowa State Fairground. — Fox News (@FoxNews) July 4, 2025 🚨 LOOK AT THIS MASSIVE CROWD IN IOWA! Holy CRAP! All here to celebrate President Trump and our amazing country — Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) July 4, 2025 Huge crowd at the Iowa State Fair breaks out in 'USA' chants as Trump begins his speech kicking off America's 250th year. — Reagan Reese (@reaganreese_) July 4, 2025 "We got ... with all of the things we did, the tax cuts and rebuilding our military, not one Democrat voted for us and I think we use it in the campaign that's coming up, the midterms because we've gotta beat them ... with all of the things we've given and they wouldn't vote only because they hate Trump," the president said in Iowa. "But I hate them too, you know that?" "I really do, I hate them. I cannot stand them because I really believe they hate our country," Trump said. The president also claimed the GOP-led bill will rescue "over 2 billion family farms from the so-called estate tax or the death tax." The current U.S. population is a little more than 342 million. Trump attended the Iowa State Fair in 2023, five months before the first votes were cast in the Republican presidential primary. President Donald J. Trump makes his way through the crowd at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, IA — RSBN 🇺🇸 (@RSBNetwork) August 12, 2023 At the time, more than 118,000 people packed the fair, according to CBS News. He won the Iowa caucuses in January 2024 by roughly 30 points. On Thursday, the president's flagship legislation, called the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, passed the House of Representatives 218-214, with every Democrat and two Republicans voting against the measure. It initially passed the House in May and was sent to the Senate, where it underwent significant changes before being kicked back to the House. The bill will now go to Trump's desk for signature. What Happens Next Trump plans to sign the One Big Beautiful Bill Act into law on Friday afternoon. This is a breaking news story. Updates to follow.
Reuters
7 days ago
- Business
- Reuters
Trump visits Iowa to kick off America's 250th anniversary, reassure farmers on trade
WASHINGTON, July 3 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump travels to Iowa on Thursday to kick off celebrations marking America's 250th anniversary next year and to tout recent trade and legislative actions to heartland voters who helped propel his return to the White House. Trump will deliver a campaign-style speech at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines, a familiar stop for presidential candidates in the early primary state. Trump won Iowa's 2024 Republican caucuses by a historically large margin and carried the state by 13 percentage points in the general election. His latest visit comes ahead of a Friday deadline he set for Congress to pass his sweeping tax and spending legislation, a cornerstone of his second-term domestic agenda that touches everything from immigration to energy policy. In remarks mixing patriotism and policy, Trump will aim to reassure Iowa's voters that his administration is defending their interests and delivering tangible results, according to a person with knowledge of the speech. Trump's trade policies have whipsawed agricultural communities in Iowa, creating economic uncertainty and testing loyalties. Iowa farmers have been hit hard, especially with China's retaliatory tariffs slashing soybean exports and prices. In a Truth Social post on Tuesday announcing his trip, Trump called Iowa "one of my favorite places in the world." "I'll also tell you some of the GREAT things I've already done on Trade, especially as it relates to Farmers. You are going to be very happy with what I say," Trump said. At recent Republican town halls in Iowa, tensions flared as farmers and constituents pressed congressional leaders, including Republican Senator Chuck Grassley, to push back against Trump's retaliatory tariffs. Some Republicans also worry that deep cuts to the Medicaid health program in their sweeping tax bill will hurt the party's prospects in the 2026 midterm elections. Trump has made several memorable trips to the Iowa State Fairgrounds. In 2015, the reality TV star and presidential candidate gave children rides on his personal helicopter as he aimed to overshadow Democratic rival Hillary Clinton. In 2023, Trump's private jet buzzed low over the crowds in another flashy power move, stealing the spotlight from primary rival Ron DeSantis as he campaigned on the ground below.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Trump visits Iowa to kick off America's 250th anniversary, reassure farmers on trade
By Nandita Bose WASHINGTON (Reuters) -President Donald Trump travels to Iowa on Thursday to kick off celebrations marking America's 250th anniversary next year and to tout recent trade and legislative actions to heartland voters who helped propel his return to the White House. Trump will deliver a campaign-style speech at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines, a familiar stop for presidential candidates in the early primary state. Trump won Iowa's 2024 Republican caucuses by a historically large margin and carried the state by 13 percentage points in the general election. His latest visit comes ahead of a Friday deadline he set for Congress to pass his sweeping tax and spending legislation, a cornerstone of his second-term domestic agenda that touches everything from immigration to energy policy. In remarks mixing patriotism and policy, Trump will aim to reassure Iowa's voters that his administration is defending their interests and delivering tangible results, according to a person with knowledge of the speech. Trump's trade policies have whipsawed agricultural communities in Iowa, creating economic uncertainty and testing loyalties. Iowa farmers have been hit hard, especially with China's retaliatory tariffs slashing soybean exports and prices. In a Truth Social post on Tuesday announcing his trip, Trump called Iowa "one of my favorite places in the world." "I'll also tell you some of the GREAT things I've already done on Trade, especially as it relates to Farmers. You are going to be very happy with what I say," Trump said. At recent Republican town halls in Iowa, tensions flared as farmers and constituents pressed congressional leaders, including Republican Senator Chuck Grassley, to push back against Trump's retaliatory tariffs. Some Republicans also worry that deep cuts to the Medicaid health program in their sweeping tax bill will hurt the party's prospects in the 2026 midterm elections. Trump has made several memorable trips to the Iowa State Fairgrounds. In 2015, the reality TV star and presidential candidate gave children rides on his personal helicopter as he aimed to overshadow Democratic rival Hillary Clinton. In 2023, Trump's private jet buzzed low over the crowds in another flashy power move, stealing the spotlight from primary rival Ron DeSantis as he campaigned on the ground below.
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Iowa's Roast and Ride Fundraiser returns for 10th year
DES MOINES, Iowa (KCAU) — The date for the 10th annual Iowa's Roast and Ride Fundraiser has just been announced. Iowa Senator Joni Ernst announced the date for this year's Roast and Ride Fundraiser. The event will take place on October 11 at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines. Story continues below Top Story: Potential SNAP cuts could impact food banks in Siouxland Lights & Sirens: 1 dead after truck crashes into backhoe near Norfolk Sports: Local Iowa high school boys soccer playoff highlights and scores (5-29-25) Weather: Get the latest weather forecast here Event officials say the ride will kick off at the Big Barn Harley-Davidson with a motorcycle ride honoring veterans, and end with a hog roast at the fairgrounds. Anyone interested in attending or learning more can visit the official Iowa's Roast and Ride website. More guests are expected to be announced at a later date. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
