Trump swaps phone rallies for in-person stops in Iowa and Kansas

President Donald Trump will hold campaign rallies in Iowa and Kansas on Sunday after reversing a last-minute decision to rely on phone events.

The shift occurred after Trump said he received calls from allies in both states. He told reporters that his friends advised him that his physical presence would be more effective than a tele-rally. The Republican National Committee confirmed the president will campaign in Dubuque, Iowa, and Salina, Kansas.

The schedule had been in flux throughout Friday. Trump initially planned to visit Salina on Saturday and Dubuque on Sunday. Those plans were then changed to a 72-hour series of phone rallies designed to reach voters nationwide. The Iowa stop moved from Dubuque to Cedar Rapids before returning to Dubuque hours later, according to a person familiar with the planning. Trump dismissed concerns about fatigue or health issues on Thursday, stating he felt perfect and that he was skipping Kansas initially because Senator Roger Marshall was performing well.

The change in strategy coincides with a surge in early voting. An Associated Press analysis found that nearly 10 million more Americans had cast ballots five days before Election Day than at the same point in 2022. Increases were particularly sharp in states with competitive Senate races. Early voting in Iowa and Kansas is up roughly 30 percent from the same point in 2022. In Texas, more than 6.3 million voters cast early ballots as of Wednesday, a 50 percent increase over the previous cycle. South Carolina saw an 83 percent increase in early voting for its Senate race.

Both parties believe the high turnout could influence the outcome of the midterms. Democrats and Republicans are competing for control of Congress in an election focused on affordability and the president's popularity. Trump has headlined 25 rallies in October after promising a marathon sprint to support Republican candidates. He remains in South Carolina and Florida, where he held a rally in Daytona Beach on Friday night.

In Kansas, Trump praised Senator Roger Marshall for pushing the administration on policies for farmers, including expanding the tax-free use of red-dyed diesel. He criticized Marshall's Democratic challenger, Adam Hamilton, describing the pastor as a radical who has caused turmoil in the church. Hamilton responded by saying that if Jesus were present, Marshall would call him woke.

Trump will campaign in Dubuque and Salina on Sunday. He previously visited both states this month to support Marshall and Iowa Senate candidate Ashley Hinson. The RNC confirmed the final schedule for the weekend events.