The persistent impact of inclement weather on the campaign trail has forced former President Donald Trump to revise his plans, with the cancellation of three out of four in-person commit-to-caucus rallies scheduled for the weekend leading up to the Iowa caucuses. Despite these setbacks, Trump remains resolute, opting for a series of telerallies and maintaining his commitment to an in-person appearance at the rally in Indianola, Iowa.
In a video message posted on X shortly after the announcement of schedule adjustments, Trump addressed the challenges posed by unprecedented weather conditions, expressing his determination to reach Iowa. “I’ll get there sometime around Saturday night or something, one way or the other I’m getting there. You have the worst weather I guess in recorded history, but maybe that’s good because our people are more committed than anyone else,” stated Trump.
The schedule reshuffling follows the cancellation of four surrogate events earlier in the week, coinciding with voluntary court appearances by Trump on Tuesday and Thursday. While Trump participated in a Fox News town hall in Iowa on Wednesday, his last campaign event took place on January 6 in Newton and Clinton.
This weekend’s four-stop Iowa swing, initially intended as a final boost for Trump before the caucuses, faced disruption due to the weather. The former president, who has maintained a comparatively lighter campaign schedule than some GOP rivals this election cycle, emphasized his determination to navigate the challenges. “It’s gonna be a little bit of a trek. Nobody knows how exactly we’re gonna get there, but we’re gonna figure it out,” declared Trump in his video message.
In an interview on “The Mark Levin Show,” Trump clarified that the cancellations were necessitated by the severe weather conditions. Despite the setbacks, Trump is scheduled to participate in three telerallies over the weekend, with Donald Trump Jr. and Kimberly Guilfoyle campaigning on his behalf in Ankeny on Monday, just ahead of the caucuses.
As Iowa prepares for dangerous sub-zero temperatures and a rare blizzard, Trump and his team express confidence in their chances in the Hawkeye state, albeit tempered expectations. Senior campaign adviser Chris LaCivita noted, “First of all, a win is a win, but anything over 12 [points] I think is a great night.”
Undeterred by the severe weather, Trump supporters remain committed to caucusing for him on January 15. Nancy Iveling from Johnson, Iowa, a campaign volunteer, expressed determination, stating, “I’m definitely going to be there. We pray that the other people will show up too, regardless of the weather because this is an important cause, and we need to win this race.”
