25 Rallies In, Trump Restores Iowa and Kansas Stops for Sunday

President Donald Trump will hold back-to-back rallies Sunday in Dubuque, Iowa, and Salina, Kansas, the Republican National Committee announced Friday afternoon, reversing a decision made less than 24 hours earlier to scrap both events in favor of a wider slate of tele-rallies, according to NBC News. NBC News first reported the reversal Friday, citing a White House official and a second source familiar with the plans.

Why Were the Rallies Canceled, Then Restored?

Trump told aides Thursday he would skip the in-person events in both states and instead rely on a series of tele-rallies designed to reach more voters before Election Day, NBC News reported. By Friday, the plan had flipped again: the president will now do both the tele-rallies and the in-person stops. A source familiar with the plans told NBC News the original schedule change was logistical, not strategic. "The rallies were rearranged for scheduling purposes to accommodate nearly 20 additional tele-rallies that were recently added to the President's schedule," the source said.

What Did Trump's Team Say About the Switch?

"President Trump loves his supporters, and in addition to nearly 20 tele-rallies, he will hold back-to-back rallies in Kansas and Iowa on Sunday," a source familiar with the plans told NBC News. "No one works harder, fights harder, or loves the American people more than President Donald J. Trump!"

A separate Trump adviser told NBC News the campaign had initially considered leaning more heavily on tele-town halls to let the president be "in as many places at once," but that Trump wanted the in-person stops as well.

Why Do Iowa and Kansas Matter for Senate Control?

Both states host Senate races rated as toss-ups, and either contest could determine which party holds the chamber after the midterms, according to NBC News. That stakes-level framing is why a one-day schedule reversal drew national attention rather than being treated as routine advance-team logistics. Neither state is a traditional battleground in presidential cycles, which is part of why the brief cancellation registered as notable within NBC's coverage of the 2026 campaign.

How Many Rallies Has Trump Held This Cycle?

Trump has campaigned at 25 rallies over the past month, according to NBC News, a pace the network's reporting described as difficult even for the president. The Sunday stops in Dubuque and Salina will add to that total, layering two more in-person events on top of the nearly 20 tele-rallies already on the calendar for the stretch run before Election Day.

Timeline: How the Weekend Schedule Changed

• Thursday, Oct. 29: Trump tells aides he will skip the Iowa and Kansas rallies and shift to tele-rallies instead, NBC News reported.
• Friday, Oct. 30, morning: NBC News reports the cancellation is being reversed, citing a White House official and a second source familiar with the plans.
• Friday, Oct. 30, afternoon: The Republican National Committee confirms Trump will hold the Sunday rallies in Salina, Kansas, and Dubuque, Iowa, in addition to the nearly 20 tele-rallies already scheduled.
• Sunday: Trump is set to appear in person in both states, with the RNC describing the stops as back-to-back.

What Happens Next in Iowa and Kansas?

Neither NBC News story nor the RNC announcement specified exact rally times or venues beyond the cities of Dubuque and Salina. With both Senate races rated toss-ups, the in-person stops give Trump a final weekend opportunity to campaign directly for Republican candidates in each state before voters head to the polls, while the expanded tele-rally schedule is aimed at reaching audiences in other contested states simultaneously, according to the adviser's account relayed to NBC News.

The reversal leaves the president's public schedule for the final pre-election weekend set, barring another change: nearly 20 tele-rallies spread across multiple states, capped by in-person appearances in Kansas and Iowa on Sunday.

Has Trump Acknowledged the Rally Pace Is Taking a Toll?

Trump has acknowledged that the stretch of 25 rallies over the past month has not been easy, according to a photo caption accompanying NBC News' report. The acknowledgment came as his team layered Sunday's Dubuque and Salina stops onto an already packed schedule of nearly 20 tele-rallies. NBC News' story was reported by Raquel Coronell Uribe, Monica Alba, Garrett Haake, Owen Hayes and Yamiche Alcindor, drawing on a White House official and additional sources familiar with the scheduling decisions in both states.

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