Nicolai Haugsted
Donald Trump pulls out of planned appearances in Kansas and Iowa as Republicans prepare for a tense election night.
The final days of an American election campaign usually bring a packed schedule for political leaders, particularly when control of Congress hangs in the balance. Republicans are fighting to defend their narrow majorities in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, with several unexpectedly competitive races threatening to complicate their plans.
President Donald Trump has spent much of October traveling across the country to rally Republican voters, delivering lengthy speeches and lending his political influence to candidates in closely contested states.
But with Election Day approaching, the president has abruptly changed part of his weekend schedule, Reuters can report.
Trump has canceled planned appearances in Kansas and Iowa, replacing the in-person rallies with telephone appearances as Republicans prepare for Tuesday’s midterm elections.
The decision comes after an intensive month of campaigning during which Trump has occasionally acknowledged the physical demands of his schedule.
Trump pulls out of two planned campaign appearances
The president had been scheduled to address supporters in Salina, Kansas, on Saturday, followed by another rally in Dubuque, Iowa, on Sunday.
Both appearances have now been canceled.
Speaking to reporters Thursday, Trump suggested that his presence in Kansas was unnecessary because Republican Senator Roger Marshall was performing well in his reelection campaign.
“I don’t feel like I have to go to Kansas,” Trump said.
“He is doing very well,” he added, referring to Marshall.
“We are going to have a strong Tuesday night.”
Marshall is facing Democratic challenger Adam Hamilton in a race that has attracted attention for being considerably more competitive than Republicans initially expected.
Kansas has not elected a Democrat to the US Senate in decades, making the contest particularly significant for both parties.
Later Thursday, the Republican National Committee confirmed that Trump’s planned appearance in Iowa would also be canceled.
The state is home to several competitive congressional races that could influence which party controls the House of Representatives.
Neither cancellation means Trump is withdrawing from the final days of campaigning altogether.
The president will campaign by telephone instead
Rather than traveling to every scheduled event, Trump is expected to address supporters remotely.
MAGA Inc., a political fundraising organization aligned with the president, announced plans for a series of telephone rallies across at least 19 states before Election Day.
Kansas and Iowa are among the states included in the arrangement.
The format allows Trump to speak to supporters without making the journey to each campaign location.
His remaining schedule still includes some in-person appearances, including a planned visit to Florida on Friday.
The changes follow a particularly demanding stretch of campaigning.
Since October 1, Trump has appeared at 25 rallies across 19 states, frequently visiting rural communities and areas traditionally favorable to Republicans.
Many of his speeches have lasted more than an hour.
The president has also publicly acknowledged that delivering so many speeches can be demanding.
Trump recently complained about the strain on his voice
During a campaign appearance in Mississippi on Monday, Trump sounded noticeably hoarse.
He addressed the strain of speaking at rallies day after day.
“God didn’t make your vocal cords to do a rally every day,” the president told supporters.
The comment drew attention to the intensity of his campaign schedule, particularly as he continued traveling between states in the final weeks before the election.
However, Trump has not attributed the canceled appearances to illness or any specific health concern.
On Thursday, he rejected the suggestion that weeks of campaigning had left him feeling unwell.
After attending a rally in South Carolina in support of Republican Senator Darline Graham, Trump was questioned by a Reuters reporter about how he was coping with the demanding schedule.
The reporter asked whether he had grown tired of traveling.
Trump responded sharply.
“You’ve been following me for two weeks,” he said before leaving in his motorcade.
“I feel perfect.”
His response offered little indication that he considered the campaign schedule a problem, despite the decision to replace two weekend appearances with remote events.
The schedule changes come at a politically important moment for the president’s party.
Tuesday’s midterm elections will determine whether Republicans retain control of Congress or whether Democrats gain enough seats to take over one or both chambers.
