Trump suggests bribery scheme cost him key evangelical endorsement: 'What's going on?'

Former President Donald Trump suggested, without offering any evidence, that a bribe had cost him a key endorsement from an influential Iowa evangelical leader.

Bob Vander Plaats, leader of the evangelical group Family Leader, told Fox News on Tuesday that he was endorsing Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis over the former president and his other Republican rivals, and Trump lashed out overnight on his Truth Social website.

"Ron DeDeSanctimonious, in an act of sheer desperation, paid Iowa preacher Bob Vander Plaats $100,000, and then got his Endorsement?" Trump posted at 1:06 a.m. "We did not seek it. What is going on here?"

Vander Plaats has supported the last three winners of GOP caucuses in Iowa, where evangelicals make up nearly two-thirds of the Republican voting bloc, and his organization has direct contact with more than 2,200 churches in the state.

"He was very clear about, we need a president who can serve two terms, not one term," Vander Plaats said. "We don't need a president that's going to be a lame duck on Day One," Vander Plaats said. "I think America would be well served to have a choice, and I really believe Ron DeSantis is that guy and I think Iowa's tailor-made for him to win this."

Vander Plaats confirmed that DeSantis and his allies had donated $95,000 over a few months to the nonprofit Family Leader Foundation he runs, but he insisted his endorsement "has never been and never will be for sale."

Tracking polls from FiveThirtyEight show Trump leading the GOP field in Iowa with 60.3 percent, while DeSantis is in a distant second place at 13.2 percent, while Nikki Haley trails at 9.6 percent.

"Over 150 faith leaders in Iowa are organizing their congregations for President Trump and not a single one demanded nearly $100K like Bob Vander Plaat$ did from Ron DeSanctus," the Trump campaign said in a statement. "When you are actually a leader of a movement like President Trump is, people are willing to support you for free."

"[Iowa Gov.] Kim Reynolds' endorsement won't save Ron DeSanctus, and neither will Wander Plaat," the campaign added.