Former President Donald Trump joined The Todd Starnes Show on NEWSMAX last week for a wide-ranging interview covering his primary campaign, establishment media, the nation’s crime problem, and a head-turning Satanic display in the Iowa State Capitol.
“I think the governor made a mistake,” Trump told Starnes, referring to Kim Reynolds, Iowa’s two-term Republican governor who recently came under fire after a Satanic Temple statue was set up in her state’s Capitol building.
“I think it’s a rather bad mistake, to be honest. I think it’s a very foolish and stupid mistake,” Trump continued.
TIRED OF BIG TECH CENSORSHIP? Click here to get Todd’s exclusive newsletter filled with important conservative news and information.
According to her press release, Reynolds said the Satanic Temple display in the Capitol is “absolutely objectionable” and that “in a free society, the best response to objectionable speech is more speech.” The governor added, “I encourage all those of faith to join me today in praying over the Capitol and recognizing the nativity scene that will be on display – the true reason for the season.”
The display, which was eventually destroyed for being “extremely anti-Christian,” featured demonic symbols and candles centered around a tall Satan-like figure, as depicted in a Fox News report.
Social media users blasted Reynolds while the statue was still on display.
“This is unconstitutional and incredibly offensive,” said commentator Paul A. Szypula in a post on X. “It needs to be removed immediately and then Kim Reynolds needs to resign.”
During his interview with Starnes, the former president also went after Reynolds for remaining neutral toward him even after he hit the campaign trail for her. Trump said his endorsement helped secure Reynolds’s victory: “I got her that position … it’s well known. It’s documented history.”
“I took the current governor at the time, Terry Branstad, made him ambassador to China,” Trump continued, adding that Reynolds “as lieutenant governor, went in.”
“And then she was going to lose the race, and I went to town and I campaigned for her, and she won.”
“And then she said she was going to remain neutral,” Trump said. “I don’t like a person that remains neutral. I don’t want anything to do with you.”
Trump however praised Iowa as “a special place,” touting his administration’s accomplishments, particularly for farmers in the Hawkeye State.
“Don’t forget, I got the farmers $28 billion,” he stated. “I can’t lose Iowa.”
“The farmers split up $28 billion among the various farmers in the country, and Iowa was the biggest participant in that,” he told Starnes, noting he is confident he will win Iowa in the upcoming Republican primaries. “The farmers got rich. And they got jobs. And they kept producing,” he added. “Nobody else could have done that. And that money came from China.”
“There’s no people like our great farmers.”