Senator Joni Ernst offered strong support for President Donald Trump during a rally in Des Moines that marked the official start of the yearlong celebration for America’s 250th anniversary.
Speaking before a cheering crowd at the “Salute to America” event, Ernst thanked Iowans for turning out and credited the former president with delivering immediate legislative actions after returning to the White House earlier this year.
“This is a great day to be an American,” Ernst told the crowd, urging attendees to celebrate the nation’s milestone and recognize Iowa’s role in kicking it off. She praised Trump for selecting Iowa as the launch site and said the state has “always had President Trump’s back because he has always had ours.”
Ernst pointed to several policy decisions she said have already taken shape in the early months of Trump’s second term. Chief among them was the enactment of Sarah’s Law, a measure named after Sarah Root, a young woman from Council Bluffs who was killed by an undocumented immigrant in 2016.
According to Ernst, the suspect in Root’s death was released due to what she described as a legal loophole and fled the country. Ernst said the Trump administration recently located and extradited the individual in March 2025, calling it “justice her parents never thought they would have.”
“This tragedy never should have happened,” she said. “And now, thanks to President Trump, it won’t happen again.”
The senator also referenced new legislation signed by Trump that she said aims to reduce wasteful government spending. She listed actions such as halting taxpayer-funded research collaborations in Wuhan, China, and repurposing unused federal office space.
“We’re castrating wasteful spending,” Ernst said, echoing her long-running ‘make ‘em squeal’ slogan.
The event blended patriotic videos, campaign-style speeches, and music—marking the symbolic start of the country’s 250th independence anniversary. It also gave Ernst a chance to highlight the administration’s new tax bill, recently passed by the Senate.
That bill, which extends provisions from the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, makes permanent certain tax reductions and includes measures aimed at boosting rural economies. Ernst credited the legislation with returning more money to American households and “prioritizing rural America.”
She also emphasized Trump’s approach to border enforcement, stating that border crossings have dropped to a historic low, though she acknowledged that communities remain affected by earlier surges.
“His strategy of peace through strength is keeping us safe,” she said.
This was Trump’s base, plain and simple: Iowa conservatives who have been with him since his first run. They weren’t just there to cheer; they saw this as a pledge to back the president’s agenda heading into 2025 and beyond.
“Iowa helped put him back in the White House,” Ernst said. “And now he’s getting back to work—for you.”
As the U.S. begins its 250th year, the celebration in Des Moines served not only as a nod to history but as a reaffirmation of Trump’s base in the Midwest. With more campaign stops expected in the coming weeks, Ernst’s message made clear: Iowa remains firmly behind the president as his second term unfolds.
