Trump steals the show at Iowa State Fair, overshadowing heckled DeSantis

Former President Donald Trump‘s swooped into the Iowa State Fair on Saturday, stealing the thunder from Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who had hoped to use the event to reboot his sagging campaign. Instead, DeSantis got heckled.

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds had to scold fairgoers at one point when, during her interview of DeSantis, the crowd interrupted him with chants of “Trump, Trump, Trump” and other sayings.

Always in command of the stage, Trump buzzed the fairgrounds with his jet before walking in and drawing a large crowd. In a brief interaction with reporters, he accused the news media of conspiring with Democrats to harm the United States.

“You know, they should really try and get this country back together,” he said of the Democrats. “What they’ve done to this country by weaponization…They are destroying this country and the media is a very big part of it.”

DeSantis tried to gain traction at the event, criticizing Trump for not signing the Republican Party’s pledge to support the eventual nominee and scolding him for engaging in a feud with Reynolds.

“That’s just how he operates, to attack one of the best governors in the country,” DeSantis said. “I think as Republicans we should be thankful and proud to see other Republicans doing well.”

Trump sidestepped questions about Reynolds sent, saying he liked her and helped her get elected in her first race in 2018.

“I have a very nice relationship with her,” he said. “I got her elected.”

The former president also trolled DeSantis by bringing a large contingent of Florida lawmakers who have endorsed him instead of their own governor.