President Trump opened a campaign rally in Des Moines, Iowa, Thursday evening by mocking his potential Democratic 2020 presidential opponents.
Trump made fun of former Vice President Joe Biden’s memory, mentioned how the Democratic hopeful has mixed up the names of states. The president also used his choice name to refer to Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) — “Pocahontas” — and poked fun at the pronunciation of former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg’s name.
“How about But-Edge-Edge?” Trump told the crowd at the rally in Des Moines. “They call him Mayor Pete. You know why? Nobody can pronounce his name.”
Trump then mentioned former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, calling him “mini Mike” and noting that he is skipping key states including Iowa as he campaigns for the Democratic nomination.
“What happened to mini Mike? Where is he? He’s not running here. He’s skipping four or five states. Mini Mike,” Trump said. “I’ve had him up to here.”
Trump’s rally in Des Moines comes just days before the Iowa caucuses. Recent polls have suggested Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who Trump called “crazy” later Thursday night, holds a slight lead over his competitors, though the contest is far from decided.
Trump positioned himself as a champion of Iowa’s voters and, in particular, the state’s farmers during his remarks, touting successful negotiations for the so-called “phase one” trade deal with China as well as the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) he signed into law a day prior.
“If we don’t win, your farms are going to hell,” Trump told the crowd.