Trump insults GOP rivals ahead of Iowa caucus night

Former President Trump took aim at his Republican rivals on Monday, just hours before Iowans were set to kick off the first presidential election contest of the 2024 cycle.

In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump attacked the other GOP candidates for lacking the “America-first” set of values that are associated with his “Make America Great Again” (MAGA) movement.

Trump attacked Republican candidate Nikki Haley, who often attracts moderate Republicans, as a “Globalist RINO” and said she “can never win in the General Election because she doesn’t have MAGA, and never will!”

“Ron DeSanctimonious, at least is MAGA-Lite,” Trump added, using his usual nickname for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who’s been falling in recent polls.

Trump also made the case that he was the only authentic candidate who represents the “MAGA” movement.

“Remember, I think MAGA is almost ALL of the Republican Party. The days of the RINOS and non-AMERICA FIRST candidates are OVER! Nikki is a Globalist RINO, backed by American’s for Chinese Growth, the Charles Koch con job. It’s not going to happen for her, or DeSanctimonious!

Trump ended his post by referring to support for 2024 presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, who has been the most supportive of Trump of all the other candidates, as “wasted.”

“Vivek Votes are wasted, should come to ‘TRUMP.’ MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!” Trump said.

Haley’s recent rise in polls has caused Trump to shift his focus from DeSantis, who long has been a target of the former president’s campaign’s ire, to the former South Carolina governor.

Trump, however, commands a strong lead, according to recent polling ahead of Monday’s Iowa caucuses. According to The Hill/Decision Desk HQ’s poll average, Trump maintains a 34.7 percentage point lead in the state, with 53 percent. Haley follows with 18.3 percent, DeSantis comes in third with 15.9 percent, and Ramaswamy has 7.3 percent.

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