Donald Trump: A journey beyond the worship of his rallies to understand his enduring appeal in US heartlands
It’s a week since Donald Trump stormed to victory in Iowa.
The polls predicted he would do well, but that didn’t make this first test of his re-electability any less remarkable.
The four-times indicted, twice impeached, election-denying, global agitator won in all but one of the state’s 99 counties.
It was unprecedented on many levels. He secured 51% of the vote, winning by a margin of 30 points.
For the former president’s many supporters, it represents the beginning of his second coming. His road back to the White House is clearer, they think.
But many in America and well beyond are baffled and alarmed. Why is a man so divisive, so polarising, so surrounded by chaos, so popular still?
As America’s media pundits packed up their glitzy pop-up Iowa studios and headed east back to their metropolitan bases, I headed west into the heart of the US.
I wanted to understand the enduring draw of Donald Trump.
Donald Trump at a rally before the New Hampshire presidential primary
Over the past few years, I’ve spent plenty of time at Mr Trump’s rallies.
They are more like rock concerts than political events and they are where you’ll find the diehards; the people who’ll seemingly do anything for Mr Trump.
They are the people for whom he is more than a political leader. He’s worshipped.
There is genuinely a strange gravity at the rallies. Conspiracies swirl. Truth and fiction blur. Reason is absent.
I wanted to get beyond that.
The people at the rallies represent his base of support but they alone didn’t win him the White House before and they won’t do it again.
He won the White House in 2016 by convincing a broader group that he was the answer.
In 2020, he failed to convince enough Americans that he deserved another four years, losing to Joe Biden.
But now he hopes Iowa is the indicator that he can turn it all around again this November.
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Donald Trump won comfortably in Iowa
Getting beyond the base
To the west of Iowa is Nebraska. It’s a conservative heartland. Farming is the main industry.
It’s the start of a journey to understand the broader and apparently enduring appeal of Mr Trump – beyond the rallies.
First stop is the small town of Prague and a meeting with farmer Mike Kubik.
His business is grain, his politics is conservative and his life is good.
“I’ve been here basically my whole life. Nebraska born and bred,” he tells me as we tour his snow-covered land on his all-American quad buggy.
“Life is excellent,” he adds. “I love my job – I’ve never had a bad day.”
Mike Kubik says it feels like the Biden government ‘doesn’t seem to care’
Mr Kubik’s experience is a reflection of Nebraska’s economy.
The midwestern state has among the nation’s largest gains in personal income, and unemployment is low.
He is happy with his son’s education at the local school. It’s the good life.
Economically his experience mirrors the national story, too. America is booming but it’s not trickling down; people aren’t feeling it.
“Our economy is going down,” Mr Kubik tells me from across his kitchen table.
“We’ve more than doubled our fuel costs. Our chemicals have gone up, our fertilizer has gone up, the cost of equipment has gone up. Food is terrible, and our government doesn’t seem to care.”
Mr Kubik’s story reflects the puzzle of American politics right now.
There is a disconnect between perception and reality in America.
Mr Kubik’s lot may be good, but it just felt better before. There is a lingering nostalgia compounded by stubborn inflation.
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A sign promoting Donald Trump’s popular ‘Make America Great Again’ slogan in Nebraska
Nostalgia for Trump?
Mr Kubik adds: “Our government is not getting deals done, the export – our grain. It is hurting our bottom line, our prices are dropping.”
And then a view I will hear over and over on my journey ahead: “Trump put America first. There are some things that I didn’t agree with, but overall, he leads with leadership. He’s a businessman. He’ll get a deal done.”
As we talk, Mr Kubik conveys a multi-layered nervousness – about the economy, about the “woke” direction of the nation, and about global security – all of which seem far removed from his good Nebraskan life.
Mr Kubik points out that no wars began under Mr Trump.
President Biden is managing two and is exposing the limited worth of American leadership – with Israel-Gaza, Russia-Ukraine and China’s century-defining rise.
He presents an argument you hear over and over among supporters of the former president – that Russian President Vladimir Putin wouldn’t have dared invade Ukraine with Mr Trump in the White House – a point Mr Trump likes to run with, probably because it’s neatly unprovable.
“Donald Trump has power to say ‘don’t do it’. And the thing is, they believe that he’ll enforce it,” Mr Kubik says.
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From 16 Jan: ‘I’ll solve Ukraine and Israel situation’
Trump ‘not afraid’ of ‘chaos’
At one level or another, most here are in agriculture.
Deeper into Nebraska, my next conversation is with crop scientist Trey Stephens.
He helps the farmers to make a profit.
“I think now in these last four years, I haven’t felt a lot of attention to agriculture from this administration,” he tells me.
But quickly, Mr Stephens conveys that it’s about more than just business and the economy.
Trey Stephens says it always felt like Trump was ‘in control’
“It always felt like Trump was in control and, you know, right now, these last four years, it’s kind of like who is in control?” he asks.
“What about the chaos that seems to follow Trump?” I ask.
“Yeah. I think I mean, in order for change to happen, sometimes chaos ensues. And Trump is not afraid of that,” Mr Stephens says.
He returns to the same thought repeatedly in our conversation – that Mr Trump isn’t a politician. He was elected to shake things up and to return power to the American people.
And the divisiveness?
“I try to remove myself from a lot of the things he says and focus on the things that he does,” Mr Stephens adds. “If it was my wish, I would have a businessman that’s strong like Trump, but maybe he just doesn’t say as much.”
Mark Stone spoke to Trump supporters in snow-covered Nebraska
‘I miss the America I grew up in’
As the interstate cuts south, Nebraska becomes Kansas, but the politics doesn’t shift much.
The weekly auction in the town of Manhattan draws farmers and their cattle from across the state.
It’s an all-American scene – cowboys in their stetsons. Cliched? No. This is as real as it gets – a snapshot from the very middle of America.
Among the crowd, I meet rancher Jamie Grollmes.
She says: “When Trump was in office, it was a lot more steady. You didn’t see the highs and lows. It was a lot more consistent, you knew what to expect. With Mr Biden we’re on a rollercoaster in terms of our markets.”
Jamie Grollmes says things were more ‘steady’ under Trump
But what about Mr Trump the man, I ask. He’s pretty unique?
“He annoys me,” she replies. “I think he needs to learn to keep his mouth shut on some things. I think he’s very good on business, but I think he says some things he shouldn’t and sometimes I think he needs to keep his mouth shut.”
A few seats away is retired rancher Tom Massey. His baseball cap reflects his politics.
“I miss the America I grew up in,” it says.
Retired rancher Tom Massey is wearing a cap that echoes the feelings of many Americans
Who’s the answer, I ask. Who is going to make America better?
“Well, I think Trump will change things around if he gets back in, I really do,” he answers. “I think he’s going to get our border closed up, get things back to normal.
“I think he’s not a politician, I think he’s a businessman. When he came in the first time, he changed a lot.”
The man running the auction is something of a local celebrity. Andrew Sylvester is an award-winning auctioneer.
We sit for a coffee in the auction hall cafe where he reflects on two Americas, far apart.
He says: “We live here in the middle of the United States. I think that people on both the east and west coast, where there’s high populations, I think they probably forget where their food comes from.
“To them, their food comes from the grocery store, when in fact, we grow it right here in what they call flyover states.”
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Can Trump rival Nikki Haley take New Hampshire?
Like others, he sees flaws in Mr Trump. And he’s baffled at America’s inability to find fresh candidates.
“I don’t know why the Democrats and Republicans can’t come up with younger candidates or candidates that don’t have any baggage,” he says.
“Biden’s side obviously has baggage. And Donald Trump seems to be in and out of court and there’s issues there. But we’re going to vote with whoever the nominees are.”
“And for you, that means Trump’s the man if he’s the nominee?” I ask.
“Absolutely. Absolutely. I’ll vote for Donald Trump again.”
Virginia Giuffre, who accused Prince Andrew of sexual assault, has died aged 41.
In a statement to Sky’s US partner network NBC News on Friday, her family said she took her own life in the Perth suburb of Neergabby, Australia, where she had been living for several years.
“It is with utterly broken hearts that we announce that Virginia passed away last night at her farm in Western Australia,” her family said.
“She lost her life to suicide, after being a lifelong victim of sexual abuse and sex trafficking.
“Virginia was a fierce warrior in the fight against sexual abuse and sex trafficking. She was the light that lifted so many survivors.
“In the end, the toll of abuse is so heavy that it became unbearable for Virginia to handle its weight.”
Pic: AP
Police said emergency services received reports of an unresponsive woman at a property in Neergabby on Friday night.
“Police and St John Western Australia attended and provided emergency first aid. Sadly, the 41-year-old woman was declared deceased at the scene,” a police spokeswoman said.
“The death is being investigated by Major Crime detectives; early indication is the death is not suspicious.”
Sexual assault claims
Prince Andrew has denied all claims of wrongdoing. File pic: Reuters
Ms Giuffre sued the Duke of York for sexual abuse in August 2021, saying Andrew had sex with her when she was 17 and had been trafficked by his friend, the billionaire paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
The duke has repeatedly denied the claims, and he has not been charged with any criminal offences.
In March 2022, it was announced Ms Giuffre and Andrew had reached an out-of-court settlement – believed to include a “substantial donation to Ms Giuffre’s charity in support of victims’ rights”.
‘An incredible champion’
Sigrid McCawley, Ms Giuffre’s attorney, said in a statement that she “was much more than a client to me; she was a dear friend and an incredible champion for other victims”.
“Her courage pushed me to fight harder, and her strength was awe-inspiring,” she said. “The world has lost an amazing human being today.”
“Rest in peace, my sweet angel,” she added.
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Dini von Mueffling, Ms Giuffre’s representative, also said that “Virginia was one of the most extraordinary human beings I have ever had the honour to know”.
“Deeply loving, wise, and funny, she was a beacon to other survivors and victims,” she added. “She adored her children and many animals.
“She was always more concerned with me than with herself. I will miss her beyond words.
“It was the privilege of a lifetime to represent her.”
Ms Giuffre said at the end of March she had four days to live after a car accident, posting on social media that “I’ve gone into kidney renal failure”. She was discharged from hospital eight days later.
Raised mainly in Florida, she said she was abused by a family friend early in life, which led to her living on the streets at times as a teenager.
She said that in 2000, she met Ghislaine Maxwell, a British socialite who was convicted in 2021 on federal sex trafficking and conspiracy charges and was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Ghislaine Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein. Pic: US Department of Justice
Ms Giuffre said Maxwell then introduced her to Epstein and hired her as his masseuse, and said she was sex trafficked and sexually abused by him and associates around the world.
‘A survivor’
After meeting her husband in 2002, while taking massage training in Thailand at what she said was Epstein’s behest, she moved to Australia and had a family.
She founded the sex trafficking victims’ advocacy charity SOAR in 2015, and is quoted on its website as saying: “I do this for victims everywhere.
“I am no longer the young and vulnerable girl who could be bullied. I am now a survivor, and nobody can ever take that away from me.”
:: Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org in the UK. In the US, call the Samaritans branch in your area or 1 (800) 273-TALK.
Donald Trump has met Volodymyr Zelenskyy ahead of the Pope’s funeral, Vatican sources have told Sky News.
The US and Ukrainian presidents had a “very productive discussion”, according to a White House Official, and have also agreed to hold further talks after the service.
They are among world leaders, including Sir Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron, who are attending the funeral of Pope Francis.
Follow live updates: Zelenskyy among world leaders joining thousands of mourners
There was applause from some of those gathered in St Peter’s Square when the Ukrainian leader walked out.
The former British ambassador to Russia Sir Tony Brenton said the event presents diplomatic opportunities, including the “biggest possible meeting” between Mr Trump and Mr Zelenskyy.
Trump and Zelenskyy meet for first time since Oval Office row. Pic: Reuters
He told Sky News it could mark “an important step” in starting the peace process between Russia and Ukraine, and is their first face-to-face meeting after a very public row between the presidents at the White House in February.
The bilateral meeting comes after Mr Trump’s peace negotiator Steve Witkoff held talks with Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin.
They discussed “the possibility of resuming direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine”, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said.
Russia and Ukraine have not held direct talks since the early weeks of the war, which began in February 2022.
Mr Trump has claimed a deal to end the war is “very close” and has urged Mr Zelenskyy to “get it done” in a post on his Truth Social platform.
He has previously warned both sides his administration would walk away from its efforts to achieve a peace if the two sides do not agree a deal soon.
Meanwhile, the Polish Armed Forces said a Russian military helicopter violated its airspace over the Baltic Sea on Friday evening, in a post on X.
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US
Donald Trump says Russia and Ukraine are ‘very close to a deal’ – and says ‘two sides should now meet’
Donald Trump has said Russia and Ukraine are “very close to a deal” with “most of the major points agreed” – as he called for the two sides to meet.
Shortly after arriving in Rome for Pope Francis’s funeral, the US president said high-level officials should now meet to “finish [the deal] off”.
“A good day in talks and meetings with Russia and Ukraine,” Mr Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
“They are very close to a deal, and the two sides should now meet, at very high levels, to ‘finish it off’.
“Most of the major points are agreed to. Stop the bloodshed, NOW. We will be wherever is necessary to help facilitate the END to this cruel and senseless war!”
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Ukraine-Russia peace talks explained
Throughout the week, the US president has criticised both Ukraine and Russia for failing to agree to a peace deal.
On Wednesday, he accused Mr Zelenskyy of harming talks on Truth Social, saying “the man with ‘no cards to play’ should now, finally, GET IT DONE”.
A day later, after nine people were killed in Kyiv after a Russian missile and drone strike, Mr Trump said: “Vladimir, STOP! 5000 soldiers a week are dying. Let’s get the Peace Deal DONE!”
The president and other officials have also threatened to withdraw from negotiations if no progress is made toward a deal.
It comes after Mr Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff met Vladimir Putin in Moscow to discuss a US-brokered peace plan for Ukraine.
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Putin-Witkoff meeting
The talks allowed Russia and the United States to “further bring their positions closer together” on “a number of international issues”, a Kremlin aide said.
Speaking earlier on the flight to Italy, Mr Trump said he hadn’t been fully briefed on Mr Witkoff and Mr Putin’s meeting – but added it was a “pretty good meeting”.
Read more:
US and Russia talks moving in ‘right direction’, top diplomat says
A ‘barbaric’ 24 hours in a ‘horrendous’ war
Russia and Ukraine have not held direct talks since the early weeks of the war, which began in February 2022.
Ukraine has repeatedly said it would not accept a deal conceding land or handing over sovereignty to Russia.
However, Mr Trump said in an interview with TIME magazine that “Crimea will stay with Russia,” describing the region as a place where Moscow has “had their submarines” and “the people speak largely Russian”.
“Zelenskyy understands that, and everybody understands that it’s been with them for a long time,” he added. “It’s been with them long before Trump came along.”
When asked on Friday about Mr Trump’s comments, Mr Zelenskyy did not want to comment but repeated that recognising occupied Ukrainian territory as Russian is a red line.
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