In a last-minute appeal to Iowa Republicans just hours before the caucuses on Monday, the ex-president ‘s eldest son, along with his fiancée, Kimberly Guilfoyle, addressed supporters in Ankney, Iowa. Trump Jr. also played a key role as the primary surrogate for Trump’s campaign in Iowa.
He also laid the groundwork for a potential fraud argument in the 2024 Iowa caucus , suggesting that those highlighting his father’s significant lead in polls are aiming to ‘suppress the vote,’ as per Daily Mail reports. During the event, an audience member asked him about the possibility of considering a presidential run in 2028.
Interestingly, he didn’t entirely dismiss the possibility, leaving the door open to this potential scenario. According to Raw Story reports, he said, “Listen, you never know. I don’t want to say no because then if you decide to do it like, oh my god, he’s a major liar. You know, people, the reality is this—like, I never needed this. Right? But I believe in it.” Trump Jr. pondered the idea that he might contribute more to the conservative cause as a private citizen . He stated, “I almost feel like I can do more outside of that. I don’t have to play by the rules. Again, I’m not Hunter Biden. I actually have to play by the rules.”
Donald Trump Jr. is more than two hours late for his event in Ankeny, IA. This room was packed at 2 p.m. and now (45 mins from his planned speech) is pretty cleared out. #IowaCaucuses pic.twitter.com/ZLhfque4w9
— Sarah Müller (@SarahAMuller1) January 15, 2024
He expressed specific concerns about Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis ‘ 2024 presidential aspirations. In addition, he criticized his father’s competitor for the choice of footwear and the decline in support from billionaire donors.
However, Trump Jr. was notably late, arriving more than three hours late for one of the concluding pitches in Iowa on Monday, delivering remarks in Ankeny just hours before the caucus sites opened. He also said, “They’re trying desperately to suppress the vote by saying we have it in the bag.”
I would vote Donald Trump JR before Hunter Biden.
— Dan Ottinger (@OttingerDan) January 18, 2024
He further said, “When you see these games, whatever happened over the last 48 hours… There’s always going to be something. There’s always a scheme. And that includes our side.” Furthermore, he continued by expressing his belief that, at this juncture, he perceives it as a clash between the D.C. elite and Trump.
He said, “You see that from the Republicans involved; you see that from the billionaire donors disappearing from Ron DeSantis’ campaign because they realize he doesn’t have it.” The polling, which was released just two nights before the caucus in Iowa, also indicated that Trump was securing a substantial majority of support.
I think Donald Trump Jr. should be the Vice President! Make Democrats heads explode!
— Marti Wine (@WineMarti19842) January 18, 2024
Meanwhile, in December of the previous year, Trump Jr. made it clear, as reported by Newsweek , that he is vehemently opposed to Nikki Haley joining his father’s 2024 ballot, despite her gaining popularity among Republican voters.
He asserted that he would go to great lengths to prevent his father from choosing the former South Carolina Governor as his vice president if he secured the GOP nomination. Trump Jr. also expressed his belief that Haley advocates for never-ending wars. Nonetheless, Haley has experienced a significant surge and is now emerging as a formidable contender, posing a potential challenge to DeSantis.
Editor’s note: This article was originally published on January 20, 2024. It has since been updated.