In a deep dive into Donald Trump's tenuous relationship with Iowa's Republican Party leadership, the New York Times is reporting that the former president left Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) hanging by not only not showing up for her annual "Roast and Ride" charity event over a month ago — but he also cost her money.
Each year, the Iowa Republican hosts the fundraiser which attracts Republicans seeking a leg up with conservative voters in the key primary state.
This year the event attracted 2024 GOP presidential nomination hopefuls including former Vice President Mike Pence and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
As the Des Moines Register reported last month, "This year's event, attended by an estimated 900 people, raised money for the Freedom Foundation, a veterans assistance nonprofit based in Cedar Rapids."
The Times reports that Trump had made it clear that he would not attend — which would have put him on equal footing with his rivals for the GOP nomination — but that his campaign would provide the Iowa senator with a videotaped address that could be played for the crowd.
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However, the former president failed to come through and Ernst's fundraiser for veterans was stuck with a needless expense.
According to the Times, "His campaign had expressed interest in sending videotaped remarks, and Ms. Ernst’s operation then rented large screens for the purpose of showing them, but he never sent a video — leaving Ms. Ernst’s team without a recording, and the cost of the equipment to cover, according to five people briefed on the incident."
Add to that, a simple request for an autographed motorcycle helmet to be used as a fundraising tool was also botched.
"Ms. Ernst’s team had planned on using the chance to win a motorcycle helmet signed by all of the Republican candidates as a lure to sell tickets to the 'Roast and Ride.' They sent the helmet to Mr. Trump, who returned it later than expected and had added the numbers '45' and '47,' signaling he would be the 47th president, the role everyone else is also running for, according to two people with knowledge of the episode," the Times reported before dryly adding, "They never used the helmet."
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