Speaking ahead of further trial proceedings in his New York City criminal case on Monday, former President Donald Trump appeared to be upset that he couldn’t campaign in states that already held their GOP primaries months ago. And the presidential primary appears to be the frame of reference he was trying to use, as that’s the only electoral context in which this particular grouping of states is at the front of the conversation.
“I tell Iowa, ‘I’m sorry, I won’t be able to make it,'” Trump remarked on Monday, complaining about having to show up at trial, which is required because of the proceedings’ criminal nature. “I tell New Hampshire, ‘Sorry, I won’t be able to make it; I’m sitting in an icebox all day.'” (Trump’s complained about courthouse temps.)
A rapid response team that is part of the Biden re-election campaign spotlighted the remarks. “A confused Trump claims he should be campaigning in the early primary states of “Iowa” and “New Hampshire,”” they captioned the clip on social media. “(Their elections were in January).”
Among the options is that Trump was confusing the primary election cycle with the general election towards which he’s currently heading and that Trump forgot that both of those states held their primaries months prior. Neither option is particularly great — for Republicans and their political chances and for the nation as a whole if Trump somehow manages to get another four years in the presidency, with the bulk of the Republican Party still remaining behind him as he pursues that.
