Fact Check: Did President Trump say Iowans are 'really troubled people'?
WASHINGTON, DC: After the announcement of plans for a new steel plant in Iowa at a White House event, a video circulating on social media platforms claims to show President Donald Trump saying that Iowans are really troubled people. The claim has led to backlash from online users, with many being skeptical, requiring a fact-check.
Claim: Donald Trump said 'Iowans are troubled people'
According to the video posted in late September, Trump was heard saying a controversial statement about Iowans.
The video was from a White House event announcing the planning of a new steel plant in the state, which was attended by several Iowa state leaders and officials.
An X post sharing the clip from the event was accompanied by a caption stating, “Trump claims the federal government can 'supersede' Iowa and calls Iowans 'troubled people.'"
In the video, Trump can be heard saying: "And we can supersede the state, right? If we can supersede the state, it's good. Otherwise, it will never be good. They're very — they're really troubled people."
The video was also shared on Instagram and Threads, garnering millions of views and sparking claims that Trump insulted Iowans during the event.
Fact Check: The video omits important context
Although the video is authentic and unedited, it omits important context proving that Trump didn't call Iowans "really troubled people."
In fact, Trump was referring to Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and other Democratic leaders in the state.
The remark was followed by an exchange in which Trump was asked how Walz was handling the opening of a new iron ore mine in Minnesota, revealing that the context was omitted; hence, the claim is rated miscaptioned.
Donald Trump announces multi-billion-dollar Iowa steel mill
On Monday, September 28, Trump announced that a Minnesota company plans to build a multi-billion-dollar steel mill in Iowa.
"This is a tremendous investment," Trump said in the Oval Office. "Our steel industry is roaring back to life."
The new project, which the White House described as the largest steel plant in US history, will be fully vertically integrated, with Mesabi using iron ore from its Minnesota mine to produce steel in Iowa.
According to the reports, the first phase will produce 7.5 million tons of steel annually, with the plant eventually expected to reach 10 million tons and is expected to create at least 1,750 permanent jobs, according to the White House.
