Former U.S. President Donald Trump won the Iowa caucuses in a landslide on Monday, marking his first victory in the contest for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.
Trump, expressing his gratitude late Monday, described the experience as extraordinary. He extended his appreciation to the people of Iowa for their overwhelming support and acknowledged his team and backers for braving the severe cold that swept across the state to cast their votes.
This marks Trump’s second triumph in the Iowa caucuses. In his address, he mistakenly claimed to have secured three victories in the state. Previously, Trump had won in Iowa during the 2020 caucuses but was defeated by Texas Senator Ted Cruz in 2016.
In his speech, Trump launched criticisms at President Biden, highlighting issues such as border security, domestic crime, and foreign conflicts. He labeled Biden as “the worst president in our nation’s history,” accusing him of causing harm to the country.
Additionally, Trump extended his congratulations to his Republican nomination rivals – Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy. He praised Ramaswamy for his impressive campaign efforts. Notably, Ramaswamy withdrew from the race on Monday evening and threw his support behind Trump.
Trump pointed out that despite significant efforts and resources invested by his rivals in Iowa, they failed to make a significant impact in a contest where he was the clear favorite. He commented on the difficulty of gaining momentum, mentioning the necessity of controversy for achieving it.
Despite canceling three out of four campaign events over the weekend due to extreme winter conditions, Trump urged his supporters to participate in the caucuses.
In a rally in Indianola on Sunday, he emphasized the importance of voting, humorously remarking that it’s worth it even if one were to vote and then pass away.
