The Donald Trump that took the stage in Sioux City, Iowa Tuesday was a whole lot "humbler" than the swaggering real estate magnate who previously touted his poll leads as proof of his legitimacy, The New York Times reports.
"What the hell are you people doing to me?" Trump asked the crowd, referring to the fact that Ben Carson now leads Trump in Iowa by as much as 14 points, according to the latest Monmouth University poll.
Even with his poll numbers plummeting, Trump reassured the people of Iowa that he's not going anywhere. "I'm sticking with you people," Trump said, promising that he would return to the state often. "I love you all. I mean — you laugh — but I love you all. I'm going to stay here. We're going to work really hard."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
But Trump's love for Iowa doesn't seem to be unconditional. After goading Iowans to get their "asses in gear" to make sure he wins, he promised that bad things would happen if they didn't do that for him.
"Now if I lose Iowa," Trump said, "I will never speak to you people again."
-
DOGE put Social Security data at risk, official saysSpeed Read DOGE workers made the personal information of hundreds of millions of Americans vulnerable to identity theft
-
Court rejects Trump suit against Maryland US judgesSpeed Read Judge Thomas Cullen, a Trump appointee, said the executive branch had no authority to sue the judges
-
Trump expands National Guard role in policingSpeed Read The president wants the Guard to take on a larger role in domestic law enforcement
-
Trump says he's firing Federal Reserve Governor Lisa CookSpeed Read The move is likely part of Trump's push to get the central bank to cut interest rates
-
Abrego released from jail, faces Uganda deportationSpeed Read The wrongly deported Kilmar Abrego García is expected to be detained at an ICE check-in and deported to Uganda
-
Trump arms National Guard in DC, threatens other citiesspeed read His next targets are Chicago, New York and Baltimore
-
Judge: Trump's US attorney in NJ serving unlawfullySpeed Read The appointment of Trump's former personal defense lawyer, Alina Habba, as acting US attorney in New Jersey was ruled 'unlawful'
-
Third judge rejects DOJ's Epstein records requestSpeed Read Judge Richard Berman was the third and final federal judge to reject DOJ petitions to unseal Epstein-related grand jury material
