“Our commitment in Iowa to fiscal responsibility, tax competitiveness, and long-term economic stability has created one of the nation’s strongest environments for business investment,” she said. “Now, this opportunity will fundamentally change the economic trajectory of our state and the entire region for decades to come.”
The steel mill project is part of a broader election-season attempt by Mr. Trump to push back against widespread voter frustration with his policies, including tariffs that have been punishing for American manufacturers, particularly in the Midwest.
Mr. Trump and his advisers believe that any polling predicting a blowout for Democrats is overrated, and to some degree, they have history on their side. On Monday, Mr. Trump again called recent polling “fake,” and complained that the news media had not appropriately trumpeted employment numbers, 401(k) account gains and a host of other accomplishments.
“Nobody talks about all of the incredible things,” Mr. Trump said.
But this is not 2016, or 2024. In 2026, Americans are deeply unhappy with the cost of living and frustrated with the war in Iran, which has driven up prices further. In response, Mr. Trump has taken to calling the concept of affordability a Democratic hoax, while promising that prices will come down as soon as the war ends.
“We’re going to win that war very soon. That’ll be over, and the gasses, gas prices, will come tumbling down,” Mr. Trump said, forecasting the future. “So nobody else could have done that. Nobody else.”
Mr. Trump’s self-congratulatory messaging on the war has done little to help G.O.P. candidates in tough races across the country. In the past week, Republicans running for Senate seats in Iowa and Michigan have called on Mr. Trump to end the conflict. A slate of other candidates, including two running for governor in Wisconsin and Michigan, and Mr. Husted in Ohio, also have said that the war needs to end, and soon.
