DES MOINES, Iowa (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump campaigned on Thursday in Iowa - the state that kicks off the presidential nominating race next week - basking in the support of his base while the U.S. Senate trial considering his impeachment continued in Washington.
Trump rails against Dems: 'I just got impeached' U.S. President Donald Trump slammed his impeachment at a campaign rally in Iowa, while his legal team faced questions in Congress from senators.
Reviving some of the most polarizing speech lines from his 2016 campaign and mocking his potential Democratic opponents, Trump regaled the crowd with a series of campaign promises, including revamping the U.S. healthcare system and continuing to build a wall along the country’s southern border with Mexico.
Democratic contenders for their party’s nomination to challenge Trump in the November election face their first electoral test in the Iowa caucuses on Monday. Trump, who is seeking a second term, is expected to easily win the Republican caucus.
His campaign, regardless, is making a show of force in the state and several of his supporters, including both of his adult sons, will be in the state on Monday.
Trump’s speech on Thursday was squarely focused on the general election. He won Iowa in 2016 and Democrats are not expected to invest many resources trying to flip it back to their column this year.
But Democrats have dominated the airwaves in Iowa for the past year, making Trump the focus of their appeals to the state’s Democratic voters.
Trump repeated his criticism of his potential Democratic opponents, denigrating former New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg for his height and former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg for his last name, and repeating his reference to U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren as “Pocahontas.”
“Democrats stand for crime, corruption and chaos, Republicans stand for law, order and justice,” Trump said.
Trump renewed a 2016 campaign promise to make Mexico pay for a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, a vow he made daily while campaigning the first time but has rarely mentioned since taking office.
“Illegal aliens from Mexico are going to pay for the wall ... through remittance, 100 percent,” Trump said.
FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, U.S., January 30, 2020. REUTERS/Leah MillisU.S. President Donald Trump departs at the end of his rally with supporters in Des Moines, Iowa, U.S. January 30, 2020. REUTERS/Jonathan ErnstTrump campaign manager Brad Parscale and White House senior advisor Jared Kushner attend U.S. President Donald Trump’s rally with supporters in Des Moines, Iowa, U.S. January 30, 2020. REUTERS/Jonathan ErnstFormer White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders joins U.S. President Donald Trump as he rallies with supporters in Des Moines, Iowa, U.S. January 30, 2020. REUTERS/Jonathan ErnstA girl sleeps in the hallway of the arena as U.S. President Donald Trump holds a campaign rally at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, U.S., January 30, 2020. REUTERS/Leah MillisU.S. President Donald Trump faces his supporters during a campaign rally at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, U.S., January 30, 2020. REUTERS/Leah MillisGeneral view of U.S. President Donald Trump speaking during a campaign rally at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, U.S., January 30, 2020. REUTERS/Leah MillisU.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, U.S., January 30, 2020. REUTERS/Leah MillisA few empty seats begin to show in the crowd as U.S. President Donald Trump nears the 90-minute mark as he rallies with supporters in Des Moines, Iowa, U.S. January 30, 2020. REUTERS/Jonathan ErnstSupporters of U.S. President Donald Trump react during a campaign rally at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, U.S., January 30, 2020. REUTERS/Leah MillisSupporters of U.S. President Donald Trump react during a campaign rally at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, U.S., January 30, 2020. REUTERS/Leah MillisSupporters watch as U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally in Des Moines, Iowa, U.S., January 30, 2020. REUTERS/Jonathan ErnstSupporters of U.S. President Donald Trump attend a campaign rally at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, U.S., January 30, 2020. REUTERS/Leah MillisU.S. President Donald Trump reacts next to former White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders during a campaign rally at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, U.S., January 30, 2020. REUTERS/Leah MillisU.S. President Donald Trump reacts while speaking during a campaign rally at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, U.S., January 30, 2020. REUTERS/Leah MillisSupporters react as U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, U.S., January 30, 2020. REUTERS/Leah MillisU.S. President Donald Trump and Iowa governor Kim Reynolds exchange a cheek kiss during a campaign rally at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, U.S., January 30, 2020. REUTERS/Leah MillisU.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, U.S., January 30, 2020. REUTERS/Leah MillisSlideshow (18 Images)
He also revisited a line from his 2016 campaign, maligning some migrants trying to enter the United States as criminals.
Fresh from signing a new trade agreement with Mexico and Canada on Wednesday and a separate pact with China earlier this month, the president said the Democrats would be bad for Iowa’s farmers - warning they would “kill your cows.”
“If we don’t win, your farms are going to hell,” he said.