Amid anger over ICE, Pres Trump hails “golden age of America” in Iowa
The president deflects from political heat, trumpeting the economy
Amid growing public anger over the much-criticized actions of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers, President Donald Trump turned the American focus onto the economy at a rally in Iowa.
Describing the economy’s performance as a “golden age of America,” Pres Trump said that inflation had been defeated, that investment was on the rise, and that the U.S. was “respected all over the world.”
This was the president’s first public appearance since his return from the World Economic Forum in Davos, amid growing tension over protests in Minneapolis, worsened by the shooting of 37-year-old ICU nurse Alex Pettri at the weekend.
His death followed the death by ICE of Renée Good, a 37-year-old American woman, who was fatally shot in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on 7 January.
Trump sought to shift the focus from his deadly immigration crackdown, speaking in Iowa, a Midwestern U.S. state between the Missouri and Mississippi rivers, known for its rolling plains and cornfields.
According to the Des Moines Register, the president focused on the positive, emphasizing affordability and claiming that Democrats were responsible for high prices while his administration had brought costs down.
As an example, he said Helow gas prices—though his figures were lower than official averages—and touted deals he said would dramatically reduce prescription drug prices.
Iowa-specific issues also featured prominently as Trump said Congress was “very close” to approving year-round E15 ethanol and supporting farmers, and praised his “One Big, Beautiful Bill” for delivering tax cuts. He brought local business owners onstage to showcase the impact of eliminating taxes on tips.
The president also leaned into culture‑war themes, attacking Democrats, protesters, and Minnesota congresswoman Ilhan Omar. He described demonstrators in Minneapolis as “paid agitators” and defended his reshuffling of immigration enforcement leadership in the state, insisting it was “not a pullback.”
Throughout the event, Trump celebrated Iowa’s political loyalty, thanked local Republican officials, and urged supporters to help re‑elect GOP candidates in the 2026 midterms.
He closed with a familiar refrain, promising to make America “powerful, wealthy, healthy, strong, proud, safe and great again.”