Donald Trump forced to cancel Iowa rally due to tornadoes

Donald Trump is forced to cancel outdoor Iowa rally for the ‘safety of patriots’ after National Weather Service issued multiple tornado warnings

• Former President Donald Trump was forced to cancel a rally in Iowa Saturday night in a move he says for the ‘safety of patriots’ 
• The National Weather Service issued a tornado warning in the Des Moines area on Saturday that is predicted to stay in effect until at least 7 pm 
• Trump’s presumed GOP primary challenger, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, was in Iowa headlining events to raise money for fellow Republicans 

Former President Donald Trump was forced to cancel his outdoor rally in Des Moines, Iowa, on Saturday, due to multiple Tornado warnings in a move he says was for the ‘safety of patriots.’

‘Unfortunately, due to the Tornado Warnings in Des Moines, we are forced to cancel today’s outdoor Rally at the Lauridsen Amphitheater,’ Trump said in a post to Truth Social, a few hours before the event. 

‘Stay tuned, we will reschedule soon. Be safe out there!’

The rally was set to run parallel with his potential-2024 rival Ron DeSantis’ appearance in the early voting state, as the two men gear up for a heated rivalry if the Florida governor enters the race. 

Former President Donald Trump was forced to cancel his outdoor rally in Des Moines, Iowa, on Saturday

The rally was postponed for the ‘safety of patriots’ as multiple tornado warnings were issued in the region 

Before the rally was officially canceled, over 5,000 people were expected to attend the event. 

‘Tornado Watch in Iowa. For safety of our great Patriots, we have been asked to delay or cancel today’s sold out Rally,’ Trump posted to Truth Social when he postponed the rally. 

‘I am near the Palm Beach Airport, ready to go, but we are on hold because of the very bad weather in Iowa. Please Seek Shelter or Safe Haven!’

The National Weather Service issued a tornado warning in the Des Moines area on Saturday that is predicted to stay in effect until at least 7 pm.

Workers pictured dismantling structures at the rally after it was postponed due to inclement weather  

Thousands of supporters were set to attend the rally to hear the former president speak

Attendees pictures waiting in line to enter the rally before it was ultimately cancelled

Earlier in the day, Ron DeSantis appeared to take a jab at Trump at a fundraising appearance in Sioux Center, Iowa, around 3 hours from where the former president’s postponed rally was set to take place. 

The Florida governor hit out at the GOP’s recent electoral struggles that have often been blamed on the former president. 

‘There is no substitute for victory,’ he said in a speech alongside Iowa Congressman Randy Feenstra. 

‘We must reject the culture of losing that has infected our party in recent years’. 

DeSantis remains Trump’s key rival in the 2024 presidential race, and he is widely expected to announce his campaign in the coming months. 

After a strong re-election showing that propelled him above the former president in several polls, a resurgence from Trump has seen the Florida governor consistently trail by roughly 20 points in recent polls. 

In one NBC poll last month, Trump earned 46 percent support from Republican primary voters, while DeSantis received 31 percent. 

DeSantis’ appearance at a fundraiser saw him tease a 2024 presidential platform to counter frontrunner Donald Trump’s, where he warned that ‘governing is not about entertaining’.

‘Governing is not about building a brand or talking on social media and virtue signaling,’ said DeSantis, who wore a blue button-down shirt without a tie or jacket. ‘It´s ultimately about winning and producing results.’ 

He then spoke of his willingness to embrace conservative cultural fights and said the ‘time for excuses’ for losing ‘is over,’ another apparent jab at the former president who still insists he won the 2020 presidential election.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and his wife Casey, right, reacts to audience members during a fundraising picnic for U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra, R-Iowa, on Saturday

DeSantis pictured wearing an apron as he worked the room at a fundraiser in Sioux Center, Iowa on May 13, 2023

A ‘Team DeSantis’ bus seen outside a fundraiser near to a sign in support of the Florida governor’s potential 2024 campaign

DeSantis has previously avoided directly criticizing Trump in his recent appearances, however he cited Trump’s insistence he won the 2020 election in his remarks. 

‘If we get distracted, if we focus the election on the past or on other side issues, then I think the Democrats are going to beat us again,’ he said. 

A pro-DeSantis super PAC, Never Back Down, has hired Iowa staff and begun trying to organize support for the governor before a 2024 announcement.

The group announced Thursday that state Senate President Amy Sinclair and state House Majority Leader Matt Windschitl would endorse DeSantis’ candidacy, if he throws his hat in the ring. 

On Friday, the organization rolled out roughly three dozen more state lawmakers who would endorse him.

During DeSantis’ appearance in Sioux Center, Gov. Kim Reynolds and Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst were in attendance.

After his speech, DeSantis spent about 15 minutes shaking hands and making small talk with voters as he maneuvered through the large audience, trailed by reporters, TV cameras and a security detail. 

He then dashed outdoors to pose with Reynolds and Feenstra while tending to burgers and pork chops at the grill.

Lyle and Sonia Remmerde of Rock Valley managed a handshake. She said DeSantis´ style comes across as ‘normal.’

‘One of the things when you compare Trump and DeSantis, I think DeSantis has – how do you say? – a much more smooth approach,’ said Lyle Remmerde, 65. ‘He´s less abrasive.’

His appearance in Iowa was his second visit to the state in two months, with the early voting state a common hotspot for presidential hopefuls. 

Other candidates who have held rallies in the state in recent months includes former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, both of whom have announced their candidacy. 

Former Vice-President Mike Pence and South Carolina Senator Tim Scott are among the leaders who have also hosted events in the state as they gear up for potential campaign announcements of their own. 

Damage seen in Laguna Heights, Texas, on May 13, 2023, as a series of tornadoes rip through the American heartland

The National Weather Service issued multiple tornado watches for the Des Moines area in Iowa into Saturday evening

It comes as over two dozen tornadoes swept through the American heartland in recent days, stretching across numerous states including Nebraska, Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, Montana and Louisiana.

At least two people were killed as a twister ripped through the small Texas town of Laguna Heights, while more than a dozen people were injured. 

The National Weather Service issued multiple tornado watches for the Des Moines area in Iowa into Saturday evening, bringing winds up to 70mph and large hail. 

The effect was in place until at least 7pm, leading to the cancellation of Trump’s anticipated rally that would have been in the storm’s path. 

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