President Donald Trump touted plans to approve legislation allowing year-round sale of E-15 fuel and promoted his tax cuts Tuesday in Clive — but largely left out comments on immigration enforcement efforts in Iowa’s neighbor, Minnesota.
Trump’s trip to Iowa is his first stop in a campaign to support Republicans ahead of the 2026 midterms as he hopes to maintain GOP majorities in Congress. He told the Iowa crowd his administration has had an especially positive impact on Iowa, pointing to tariff policies and support for ethanol producers as reasons behind the state’s support for his 2016, 2020 and 2024 presidential campaigns.
In the year since his inauguration, Trump said the U.S. is “winning like never before” with improved economic prospects, a secure border and a stronger military. He said these changes would be reversed if Democrats win back control in Congress in the upcoming election.
“If we lose the midterms, you’ll lose so many of the things that we’re talking about, so many of the assets that we’re talking about, so many of the tax cuts that we’re talking about, and it would lead to very bad things,” Trump said. “We’ve got to win the midterms. I mean, I’m here because I love Iowa, but I’m here because we’re starting the campaign to win the midterms.”
Trump largely ignores Minnesota immigration controversy
Trump’s visit to Iowa was officially focused on energy and affordability, but it comes as tensions rise over the administration’s immigration crackdown agenda – centered on Department of Homeland Security actions in Iowa’s northern neighboring state, Minnesota.
Trump did say in his speech that many people have “read much about Minnesota, where, unbeknownst to the public, we have brought down crime very substantially.”
He also brought up Minnesota U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar, a Somali-American who came to the U.S. with family members as asylum seekers in 1995 and became a U.S. citizen in 2000. He criticized Omar for speaking on the U.S. Constitution when she comes from a country that is a “disaster,” he said, while saying Somalia is known for “pirates.”
Hundreds of protesters, who gathered at the intersection outside the Trump rally at the Horizon Events Center, held signs criticizing the administration and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The weekend before Trump’s visit, Border Patrol agents fatally shot Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old nurse at the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Medical Center, during protests against immigration enforcement officers’ ongoing presence in state. While Trump and administration officials have said the shooting was justified and linked the death with Pretti having a gun, multiple witnesses’ videos showing the incident do not indicate Pretti was brandishing or threatening agents with the weapon. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said Pretti was a lawful gun owner who had a concealed carry permit and no criminal record.
Trump met with Iowans before the rally at the popular restaurant The Machine Shed, where he was greeted with applause and joined by U.S. Rep. Zach Nunn, who is running for reelection in Iowa’s 3rd District. The president also took questions from reporters while at the eatery about the Pretti’s death in Minnesota, Venezuela and the price of gasoline.
When asked if Trump would pull all immigration and border patrol agents out of the Twin Cities, Trump replied, “We’ll do whatever’s appropriate,” according to reporters traveling with the president.
In response to a question about why he sent border czar Tom Homan into Minnesota to address immigration operations on the ground, Trump said, “I do that all the time. I shake up teams.”
“Everybody here, these are a lot of owners of farmers and places, and you shake up your team, if they can’t do the crops fast enough. Look, we have an incredible team. We did something that nobody said was possible. We didn’t go back to Congress ask for legislation – we closed the border,” Trump said.
Earlier in January, ICE agents shot and killed Renee Good. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and officials Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension have said federal officials have impeded state attempts to conduct investigations of the shootings and mishandled evidence.
On Monday, Walz’s office stated that Trump spoke with the governor and plans to speak with U.S. Department of Homeland Security about allowing independent BCA investigations of the incidents, as well as looking into reducing the number of federal agents in Minnesota.
In Washington, another partial government shutdown looms as Senate Democrats say the Homeland Security funding bill must include constraints on federal immigration enforcement following the Minnesota shootings. Many Democrats in Congress have also signed onto an impeachment resolution for U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem following the escalated violence.
However, before departing for Iowa, Trump told reporters Noem is not stepping down, and said she is doing a “very good job.”
Trump says year-round E-15 approval working through Congress
Trump said “I promise to support E-15 all year round” — a pledge he made on the presidential campaign trail to allow the nationwide, year-round sale of 15% ethanol ratio blend of fuel. He said he was in discussions to put out a statement on E-15 last week.
“I said, hold it — I’m coming to Iowa to make a speech, I’m not going to put out a (Truth Social),” Trump said. “… I want to be there in person to tell them.
He said he is “trusting” House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune to find a deal with farmers, consumers and refineries in order to advance year-round E-15, and “they’re very close to getting it done.”
“And Johnny will be sending me a bill very shortly supporting year-round E-15 to buy gas very quickly, and I will sign it within a week,” Trump said. “I hope you remember us for the midterms.”
Three members of Iowa’s all-Republican congressional delegation, U.S. Reps. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, Ashley Hinson and Nunn, gave speeches ahead of Trump at the event, praising the Trump administration’s policies and calling for support to keep the state red in the 2026 elections. U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra, running for Iowa governor in 2026, was also in attendance.
Nunn said Iowa is “helping lead the charge to be energy independent, so that Russia or Iran or Venezuela doesn’t get to dictate what happens in Iowa.” He said while speaking with Trump about gas prices, Trump told him gas was under $2.50 a gallon in many parts of the country.
“I said, ‘Drive to Casey’s, Mr. President, we get to you for a buck eight-five,’” Nunn said. “… Whether you are filling up a truck or a tractor, a minivan for a motor home, here’s the reality: Iowa biofuels will help drive down that cost.”
Iowa Sen. Zach Wahls, a Democrat who is running for U.S. Senate in 2026, said in a news conference organized by Defend America Action the Trump administration’s inaction on E-15 fuel “is causing so much frustration and anger among Iowa corn growers,” and that tariff policies have caused already input costs for farmers to increase further.
Wahls said Trump has shown he cares more about “bailing out Argentina” and supporting U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s financial backers than he cares about Iowa farmers.
“That’s why there was so much anger that is out there in smalltown rural Iowa, and it’s clear the president’s coming to Iowa today trying to do damage control, trying to put lipstick on a pig,” Wahls said. “But it’s his pig, and Iowa farmers aren’t happy about it.”
Trump touts ‘affordability’ measures through tax policies
In addition to supporting Iowa farmers, Trump said measures like eliminating federal taxes on Social Security and tipped income included in the spending bill he signed in July will help Iowa businesses and families. He said the American economy is improving under his policies even though “we inherited such a horrible situation with all of the high prices and inflation and everything” under former President Joe Biden.
But Iowa Democrats said Trump’s speech comes amid worsening economic prospects for Iowans. Iowa Democratic Party Chair Rita Hart said the cost of living is rising for people across the state amid growing layoffs.
“It’s laughable that Trump is coming here today to talk about affordability of all things, when Iowans are literally paying more because of his disastrous policies,” Hart said at a news conference before Tuesday’s rally.
Democrats and advocates also said Trump’s and Republicans’ policies have made health care more expensive, pointing both to the lapsed Affordable Care Act enhanced tax credits and the cuts to Medicaid made in the federal spending bill signed this summer — which some health care advocates say will cause rural hospitals to close.
The measure included $50 billion between 2026 and 2030 for the Rural Health Transformation Program to offset some these losses, and Iowa was awarded $209 million for the first year of its rural health care improvement plan, “Healthy Hometowns.” But Jessica Schubel, former special assistant to Biden for health care, said this funding is not enough to make up for the $290 million a year rural Iowa hospitals are expected to see due to the Medicaid cuts.
“Republicans are not serious about making life easier for Iowans to afford health insurance on top of your higher grocery bills, rent and electricity costs, let alone to do or have more of the fun things in life,” Schubel said. “But they are serious about helping rich people get richer. Iowans deserve better, they deserve more.”
Trump said he would address health care costs by making changes to the Affordable Care Act, saying his proposal would distribute money directly to patients.
“Obamacare was created to make insurance companies rich with government subsidies,” Trump said. “I want all that money that gets paid to the insurance companies, to get paid directly to the people. … The problem is the Democrats don’t want to do that because they are owned by the insurance companies.”
