'Trashy move': Kim Reynolds slammed as report reveals alleged use of burner X account to criticize Trump

DES MOINES, IOWA: Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds is facing intense scrutiny after a New York Times report revealed she allegedly used a secret X account to show support for Florida Governor Ron DeSantis while criticizing former President Donald Trump.

The burner account, which was just suspended on Thursday, January 11, commended DeSantis' leadership and family values while slamming Trump's disloyalty and Nikki Haley's credentials.

Reynolds already departed from typical Iowa neutrality by publicly endorsing DeSantis in November of 2023. But the deception and politicking exposed by her reported covert posts have stirred anger online and threaten political fallout just days before Iowa holds the first presidential nominating caucuses.

New York Times report reveals Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds' use of a burner X account

Iowa's Republican Governor Kim Reynolds created a burner X account that was used to praise Florida Governor Ron DeSantis while also criticizing former President Donald Trump, according to a New York Times report.

The account, with the handle @Kimberl26890376, listed 'Kimberly Reynolds' as the username and featured a photo of Reynolds as the profile picture before it was suspended on Thursday.

The account had only 259 followers and did not link to Reynolds' official or personal accounts, with no indication in the posts that the user was a sitting governor.

The majority of the 58 posts from the account occurred in recent months and related heavily to the brewing Republican presidential primary race.

One retweeted meme from a DeSantis supporter showed the Florida governor smiling with his wife and children next to Trump surrounded by women at a New Year's Eve party, with the caption, "The contrast is overwhelming."

Other retweets criticized Trump's lack of loyalty and praised DeSantis with comments like "Followed through 100% on promises made!!" Reynolds also used the account to target fellow GOP candidate Nikki Haley, calling her a "liberal Democrat."

Last November, Reynolds broke from tradition and publicly endorsed DeSantis for president, citing "unprecedented times." This departure from the norm, where Iowa governors typically remain neutral until after the caucuses, adds an extra layer of intrigue as the state prepares for its first-in-the-nation caucuses on January 15.

Internet expresses disapproval over Kim Reynolds' secret X account

As news of Reynolds' alleged use of a secret Twitter account broke, the internet wasted no time in expressing its disapproval. One X user bluntly labeled the governor's actions a "trashy move," while another opted for a more sardonic tone, stating, "Sneaky sneaky!!!!"

A third user chimed in, offering a humorous take on the situation: "That's got to stink: getting Loomered and your account suspended on the same day. Kim is going to be so mad."

Meanwhile, another individual celebrated the revelation, exclaiming, "Busted!!!!!!! And of course Loomer kept the receipts! .... I love it! Wooooooo!!!!"

A more critical perspective came from a fifth user who deemed the entire episode as "very ‘petty.’" The online commentary reached its peak with a sixth user straightforwardly asserting, "She needs to resign."

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.