EXCLUSIVE: ‘That’s His Decision’: Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds shrugs at Trump interviewing her highlight at the State Fair — after he accused her of getting too cozy with DeSantis

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds shrugged at former President Donald Trump’s disapproval of her speaker series at the Iowa State Fair, which he did after berating her for remaining neutral in the 2024 race, and getting cozy with main rival, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.

For this year’s state fair, Reynolds introduced the Fair-Side Chats, giving Republicans the chance to be interviewed by her instead of or in addition to appearing on the Political Soapbox hosted by mainstream media, the Des Moines Register.

DeSantis decided to attend Reynolds’ event alone, while Trump skips it and the soapbox and does his own thing as he shows up at the fairgrounds on Saturday.

“I mean that’s his decision, I invited him, we’d love to do it, so the candidates are going to make their own decisions and it is what it is,” she told DailyMail.com Friday morning, after her event with GOP hopefuls . and North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum.

When asked if she would drop by Trump’s event or flip chops with the former president, one of the activities most GOP candidates participate in, she was noncommittal.

“Well, we’ll be at the fairgrounds all day. We’ll traverse the entire fairground,” Reynolds said.

“We’re going to do what we can,” she added.

Trump’s annoyance with Reynolds became public in mid-July.

In the days before, Reynolds was tagged along with DeSantis’ wife Casey as she launched her “Mamas for DeSantis” event.

“I opened up the position of governor to Kim Reynolds, and when she fell behind, I ENDORSED her, did big rallies, and she won,” Trump posted on Truth Social on July 10. Now she wants to stay “NEUTRAL”. ‘

While Reynolds served as lieutenant governor, in 2017 Trump tapped Iowa Governor Terry Branstad to serve as his ambassador to China, elevating her to the position of governor.

She then ran for a full term in 2018.

“I don’t invite her to events!” Trump also offered, adding, “DeSanctus down 45 points!”

That is an abbreviation for the nickname the ex-president has given to the governor of Florida, whom he considers his main rival.

In June, Trump had also hinted that he was getting annoyed with Reynolds.

“I hate to say it, without me, you know, she wouldn’t win, you know that, right?” Trump then said.

The comment received no applause from the audience.

Reynolds easily won re-election last year, winning 95 of Iowa’s 99 counties.

Trump invited Reynolds to his first Iowa event of the 2024 cycle, where she introduced him when he spoke to supporters at a historic theater in Davenport in mid-March.

But Reynolds also cleared her schedule to tour with DeSantis, Senator Tim Scott and former UN ambassador. Including Nikki Haley around the state.

Iowa governors typically remain neutral during the Iowa caucuses, which are historically the first presidential contest of each election year.

The primary elections of this campaign cycle in Iowa will take place on January 15.

That reports the New York Times in July that Reynolds had privately assured Trump she would not endorse.

But inside Trumpworld, the newspaper reported, “alarms went off” after her performance at the “Mamas for DeSantis” opener.

Reynolds’ socializing with Ron and Casey DeSantis has been the subject of internal Trump campaign discussions, including that one of her senior political advisers, Ryan Koopmans, also advises a DeSantis super PAC.

Those familiar with the Iowa governor’s mindset told The Times that she is fed up with Trump — and was irate that he believed she owed him credit for winning the governorship.