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Trump sons hold 'Keep Iowa Great' rally during caucus night: 'We're gonna beat them again'

President's sons rally his Iowa supporters ahead of first-in-the-nation caucus

Chris Riotta
New York
Tuesday 04 February 2020 02:16 GMT
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Donald Trump Jr speaks with his brother Eric and wife Lara, as well as his girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle during a "Keep Iowa Great" press conference in Des Moines on February 3, 2020
Donald Trump Jr speaks with his brother Eric and wife Lara, as well as his girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle during a "Keep Iowa Great" press conference in Des Moines on February 3, 2020 (AFP via Getty Images)

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Donald Trump’s inner circle flocked to Iowa for a rally in support of the president’s re-election, just as Democratic voters were participating in a tense first-in-the-nation caucus on Monday night.

Donald Trump Jr, who was joined by his girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle, his younger brother Eric and Eric's wife Lara, warned the president’s supporters to reject the Democratic candidates vying for a shot at unseating his father in the Oval Office, as polls showed Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders with a lead in the key early-voting state.

"When I see the ideals of socialism and communism actually being pushed — I know we say this as a joke and everyone's laughing, but it's not a joke," the 42-year-old, who has himself hinted at the possibility of running for office, said to the crowd.

“While we've done a lot, there's still a lot left to be done,” he added. “Donald Trump's gonna do that.”

The “Keep Iowa Great” conference also included a speech from the president’s campaign manager, Brad Parscale, who told supporters: “We're here in force to show the American people that this is a real movement.”

Republicans are also holding caucuses in Iowa but with no serious challengers to the President, the First Family used the visit as an opportunity to spread their message

“This president is serious about 2020." Parscale added.

Mr Trump has focused on Mr Sanders, seen as one of the most progressive candidates in the Democratic primaries, writing in a series of tweets over recent weeks that the process has been “rigged” against the 78-year-old candidate.

“Crazy Bernie takes the lead in the Democrat Primaries, but it is looking more and more like the Dems will never allow him to win!” the president wrote in a tweet last month, adding: “Will Sleepy Joe be able to stumble across the finish line?”

The president has also claimed without evidence that Mike Bloomberg, a former mayor of New York City and fellow 2020 hopeful, has been working with the Democratic National Committee to rig the election against Mr Sanders.

Some analysts say these unfounded allegations support longstanding themes the president has employed in rhetoric surrounding the election process after losing the popular vote in 2016.

Eric Trump also spoke at the event on Sunday night, telling supporters: “We’re gonna beat them again.”

The rally was also attended by White House acting Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, according to AFP.

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