‘COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF’: Trump Visits Iowa Restaurant Filled Wall-To-Wall With Supporters

Former President Trump was mobbed by supporters on Saturday while making a stop at the Whiskey River Restaurant in Ankeny, Iowa.

With just 44 days until the Iowa caucuses, the restaurant marked the first of two campaign stops for Trump in the Hawkeye State Saturday.

The former president drew a large crowd both outside the restaurant and inside, where he later delivered remarks. Supporters donned “Make America Great Again” hats and could be heard chanting “USA” and “commander-in-chief!”

Outside the venue, the GOP frontrunner slowly made his way through a large crowd of supporters, stopping repeatedly to shake hands, pose for pictures and sign autographs. He did the same once inside the restaurant, where supporters filled the venue from wall-to-wall.

One supporter asked him to sign a massive photo of the already immortalized Fulton County mugshot while another got the former president’s signature on a Playboy Magazine cover from 1990.

After spending time at the caucus commitment event in Ankeny, the former president headed to Cedar Rapids for another rally.

The busy campaign day comes just 44 days before the Republican presidential primary cycle officially kicks off with the Iowa caucuses. While Trump has maintained a sizable polling advantage over Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, his closest competitor, the race is expected to be highly competitive due to a number of big-name endorsements in the governor’s corner.

DeSantis’ most important endorsement is that of Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, who has been on the receiving end of criticism from Trump since making her decision. On Saturday, the former president’s campaign released a new ad showing Reynolds heaping praise upon Trump when running for re-election.

Still, it remains to be seen whether the endorsement will be enough for DeSantis, who trails by a 36-point margin according to a November 15 poll from Civiqs/Iowa State University.