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Trump’s Iowa event kicking off national celebration is ‘big deal’ for the state, Iowa GOP leader says
President Donald Trump spoke Thursday night at the Iowa State Fairgrounds to kick off to a yearlong celebration leading up to the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence
Jul. 3, 2025 6:30 pm, Updated: Jul. 4, 2025 7:32 am
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DES MOINES – President Donald Trump in Iowa on Thursday promised to keep the state a central part of the nation’s 250th birthday celebration, celebrated Congressional approval of his sweeping tax and spending legislation, and snuck in a few of his greatest campaign-style rally hits.
Trump addressed a crowd of thousands Thursday night at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in an event that was billed as the kickoff to a yearlong celebration that will culminate with the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence next July 4, 2026.
Trump talked extensively about the nation’s semiquincentennial – including his pledge to have Iowa kick off a Great American State Fair next year – and also talked plenty of politics, including celebrating recent victories for his administration and admonishing Democrats and mocking previous President Joe Biden.
One, big, beautiful bill
Trump spent much of his time celebrating the final legislative passage of his tax and spending legislation – which occurred earlier Thursday in the nation’s capital, just hours before Trump took the stage in Iowa. The nearly 900-page bill contains reductions in tax rates and federal spending plus other Republican policy priorities, like immigration enforcement and defense spending.
“There could be no better birthday present for America than the phenomenal victory we achieved just hours ago when Congress passed the one big, beautiful bill,” Trump said. “In the last election, the people gave us a historic mandate to cut taxes, raise take-home pay, bring back jobs, stop the (immigration) invasion …
“That’s what we’re doing with this bill. Every major promise I made to the people of Iowa in 2024 became a promise kept.”
Trump said the bill will give the U.S. the strongest border, economy and military, and ensure that the U.S. remains “the strongest country anywhere on this beautiful planet.”
Trump was harshly critical of Democrats who opposed the legislation. Democrats and some advocates, especially those in health care, have expressed concerns with the planned spending reductions in health care and food assistance for low-income Americans.
“Not one Democrat voted for us and I think we use it in the campaign coming up in the midterms (in 2026),” Trump said. “Because they hate Trump. But I hate them, too, you know that? I really do. I hate them. I cannot stand them. Because I really believe they hate our country.”
Great American State Fair and 250th celebration
Trump said the Iowa State Fairgrounds next year will host the start of the Great American Fair, what he envisions as a celebration of – and at – all 50 U.S. state fairs that will culminate with an event on the national mall in Washington, D.C.
“We will be orchestrating a Great American State Fair and it will start right here in Iowa,” Trump said. “We’re starting it off in Iowa, starting it off at your fairgrounds.”
Earlier Thursday, Republican Party of Iowa chairman Jeff Kaufmann said Thursday’s event in Iowa was a great thing for the state and that, he said he hopes, the yearlong national celebration will allow Americans to find moments to come together even in divided political times.
“I know it’s very political. I know it’s going to be very combative today in terms of when we talk policy. I get that. God bless America,” Kaufmann told reporters Thursday afternoon shortly before the event. “But there’s got to be moments during this next year where we can take time out for just a bit.”
Kaufmann said he planned to meet with Trump shortly before his remarks, during which Kaufmann said he expected to discuss Iowa Republicans’ first-in-the-nation presidential precinct caucuses.
“Aside from politics, this is a big deal that he’s starting in Iowa,” Kaufmann said. “I would say the same thing if it was a Democratic president: if we are in the mind of the Commander in Chief, that’s a good thing for our state.”
Trump thanks Iowa Republicans in attendance
The slate of pre-Trump speech speakers included Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, Iowa U.S. Republican Sens. Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst, and Kaufmann.
Gov. Kim Reynolds was not among the speakers who gave remarks before Trump’s speech, but the president acknowledged her while he thanked other Iowa lawmakers later in the evening, including the state’s U.S. House members who flew with him to Iowa shortly after voting for his tax and spending package.
While Trump was thanking Iowa Republicans, he referred to state Rep. Bobby Kaufmann, a Republican from Wilton, as "Iowa House majority leader-elect."
Republican Rep. Matt Windschitl of Missouri Valley currently serves as the Iowa House Majority Leader, but is weighing a run for Iowa’s Fourth Congressional District. Neither Windschitl nor Kaufmann has announced their plans for 2026.
Trump supporters remain in his camp
Before the event started, Trump supporters spoke about the president and what brought them to the event on a sweltering, sunny summer afternoon at the Fairgrounds.
Steve Kruse, from Ogden, said he has seen Trump in Iowa multiple times before but wanted to see him again Thursday. Kruse said he and his wife are strong supporters of Trump.
“He did what he said he was going to do,” Kruse said of Trump. “We just love everything he’s doing, and his cabinet is so good, he’s a good Christian man, and we need to get our nation back on track again. And he’s doing good.”
Jordan Perkins, 23, from Stanton, Iowa, drove nearly two hours to see Trump speak in person for the first time.
“The president coming close to home doesn't always happen, so thought that was pretty cool. Our families are some supporters, so we came out here,” Perkins said. “It's cool seeing so many like-minded people in one place.”
Randy Origer, 65, is originally from West Bend, Iowa, but he came from San Antonio for the weekend. Like Perkins, this was his first time seeing Trump in person and said he was excited to see what the president had to say.
“We like a lot of stuff Trump is doing,” Origer said. “He’s cleaning up the borders, we live pretty close to that in a border town.
Democrats criticize Republicans’ support for tax and spending bill
Earlier Thursday, Iowa Democrats held a press conference to counter-message the Trump event. Democrats focused their remarks on Trump’s sweeping tax and spending legislation, which passed the U.S. House on Thursday and is now headed to the White House for Trump’s signature.
Democrats and some advocacy groups, particularly around health care, have expressed strong opposition to the bill and its proposed reductions to spending on Medicaid and food assistance.
The Democrats’ event featured the party’s two candidates for the U.S. House in Central Iowa’s competitive 3rd District – which features Republican incumbent Congressman Zach Nunn – and speakers who say their families rely heavily upon Medicaid.
“That’s why we’re here. We want them to know exactly how this bill is affecting real people’s lives and what Iowa is going to look like going forward if they pass this bill,” Iowa Democratic Party chairwoman Rita Hart said at the Democrats’ event. “And we need Donald Trump to understand exactly what he is doing. I know that’s a big task, right? But we’ve got to tell him today that this is not good for Iowa, that this bill is going to do so many things that we did not sign up for.”
Nancy Baker Curtis, whose son Charlie has complex medical needs, spoke at the Democrats’ event about the need for a healthy Medicaid program to ensure Charlie will continue to have access to the services he needs.
Curtis told the dozens gathered for the event the message she had for Iowa’s Republican Congressional delegation while she asked them to oppose the bill.
All six Iowa Republicans in Congress voted in support of the bill. Republicans have maintained the Medicaid spending reductions will not impact any individuals like Charlie, but will target only individuals who are able to work and are not trying to find a job.
“I’d like for you to look my son in the face, see his beautiful, blue eyes and his bright blue glasses, and promise him that these cuts aren’t going to impact his access to health care, to a free, appropriate public education, and promise me that our seniors aren’t going to be displaced by this horrible, disastrous bill,” Curtis said.
Comments: (515) 355-1300, erin.murphy@thegazette.com
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