Former President Trump is heading to Iowa this weekend for the gridiron match-up between the University of Iowa Hawkeyes and Iowa State University Cyclones.
Trump and his 2024 Republican presidential rivals have been jockeying for attention in Iowa before the state’s caucuses, which are four months away.
Trump previously worked the tailgating crowd before the “Cy-Hawk” game in 2015 before the 2016 election.
Matt Whitaker, a former aide to Trump who played football for the Hawkeyes, said in a statement that he’s happy to welcome Trump back to the rivalry game.
“President Trump attended this game in 2015 and remembers the incredible passion and electricity of the fans,” he said in a statement.
But Trump doesn’t appear to be picking sides — his campaign also shared a statement from Iowa state Sen. Jack Whitver (R), a former Cyclones wide receiver.
“Tens-of-thousands of Iowans will gather to tailgate and cheer on their favorite team. I’m proud to have President Trump witness the greatest rivalry in college sports,” he said.
The game is set for 2:30 p.m. CDT Saturday in Ames.
Trump, who has faced mounting legal issues, has remained the clear front-runner in seeking the GOP presidential nomination. The RealClearPolitics Iowa tracker has him averaging about 26 points higher than his next-closest rival in the state, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.