Former President Donald Trump brought his divisive campaign style to another intense rivalry on Saturday: The Iowa-Iowa State football game.
Social media lit up with videos of the boos and catcalls that greeted Trump during his visit to Jack Trice Stadium in Ames, Iowa, including a photo that quickly gained traction of an Iowa State fan flipping off the former president with his middle fingers.
“This guy speaks for all of us,” the organization Republicans Against Trump said in posting the photo.
Other Republican primary candidates − including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum and former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson − also took in Iowa-Iowa State clash, including pre-game tailgates. However, they didn’t garner the same kind of attention that Trump did at the event.
From ‘Where’s Melania?’ jabs to pro-Trump cheers
Trump also faced criticism from the air. A prop plane carried a banner reading “Where’s Melania?,” a reference to the former first lady who has largely been missing from the campaign trail.
Trump and allies, meanwhile, played up the positive: He also received many cheers from his football-loving faithful.
“Having a great time in Iowa!” Trump said on his Truth Social platform while posting video of him high fiving supporters, some of whom chanted “U-S-A! U-S-A!”
It’s not unusual for politicians to get booed at sporting events. During the 1992 presidential campaign, candidate and then-Arkansas Gov. Bill Clinton joked with reporters about all the guff he took at Razorback games.
There was also a football game Saturday in Ames. The Iowa Hawkeyes held on to defeat the Iowa State Cyclones 20-13.
Source: USA Today