DES MOINES, Iowa — Former President Donald Trump left a mark on Iowa— both in headlines and in rallies across the state.
Just hours after announcing his run for the Republican ticket in June 2015, Trump stopped in Des Moines.
A week later, he made his way through Winterset and hosted a meet and greet at the John Wayne Museum.
While there, Trump outlined views on immigration and amplified his feud with Univision Television Broadcasting Company. In August 2015, Trump threw out anchor Jorge Ramos for challenging him on immigration policies.
Also in August 2015, Trump offered helicopter rides near the Iowa State Fair. The fair reject his plan to offer free rides on the grounds, so he moved to a baseball field nearby.
Trump eventually made his way to Ames, where he made one of the most infamous statements about Sen. Jon McCain at a Republican event.
"He hit me. He's not a war hero. He's a war hero because he was captured. I like people who weren't captured, OK? I hate to tell you," Trump said.
Leading into the caucuses, Trump was considered the underdog. He didn't invest in grassroots campaigning or major volunteer infrastructures that traditionally get candidates to front-runner status.
Days before the caucuses, Trump made news again by boycotting the Republican debate in Des Moines and holding a rally instead.
"We let them start, and you know, we wanted to be about 15 minutes into that hour. Look at the Academy Awards— it's like the Academy Awards," Trump said at the rally.
Trump came in second during the Iowa Caucuses, right behind Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas.
Of course, the world witnessed Trump's win in November 2016, becoming the 45th President of the United States.
Trump continued to come back to Iowa over his presidency, hosting rallies and meeting with state officials.
In 2020, Trump hosted a rally the night before the Iowa Caucuses, stopped in for a day after the derecho hit, and hosted another massive rally amid the COVID-19 pandemic in October.