Forget the debate surrounding NIL money for college athletes, the power rankings, or whether the Texas Longhorns are back. The true college football debate right now has nothing to do with the game itself or its many programs and conferences. It’s about Donald Trump, who attended the Iowa/Iowa State football game this weekend.
The former president threw signed footballs into the crowd, flipped burgers at tailgates, and was promptly booed by spectators. Or he was cheered by his many supporters in a state he carried handily in 2020. There are allegations that Trump supporters altered the audio when the former president arrived at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames.
Trump signs a football and throws it into the crowd at a fraternity tailgate for the Iowa v Iowa State game. pic.twitter.com/XEZnJCuQUG
— Veronica Stracqualursi (@VeronicaStrac) September 9, 2023
Here’s Fox News’ take:
Before entering the game, Trump was also hit with a "four more years" chant. He also visited the Alpha Gamma Rho agricultural fraternity.
"We’re thrilled to invite Donald J. Trump to the Iowa vs. Iowa State football game this weekend," Trump’s former acting attorney general, Matt Whitaker, said in a press release earlier this week, according to the Des Moines Register. "President Trump attended this game in 2015 and remembers the incredible passion and electricity of the fans."
A former Cyclones wide receiver, Jack Whitver, the Iowa Senate majority leader, also commented on Trump heading to the Hawkeye State.
"Tens of thousands of Iowans will gather to tailgate and cheer on their favorite team," Whitver said in a statement. "I’m proud to have President Trump witness the greatest rivalry in college sports."
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Yes, there’s video footage of Trump walking around Iowa’s campus to cheering crowds, but inside the stadium was a different story, or so it seems. It became a dueling social media war between pro-Trump and anti-Trump camps. The Des Moines Register was also on campus:
A large group of excited Cyclone and Hawkeye fans crowded onto a terrace at Jack Trice Stadium Saturday, briefly united in chanting the same name.
“Trump! Trump! Trump!” they cheered — waiting for the former president to emerge from a private suite where he watched the annual in-state rivalry game that pits the University of Iowa and Iowa State University against each other.
The political gamesmanship briefly overshadowed the football game playing out on the field below as a mob of supporters peered around the glass windows, shouting for Trump’s attention and erupting into applause when they caught sight of him.
[…]
Some attendees did boo and shout obscenities as Trump passed, but he drew far more eager and excited onlookers who appeared unbothered that he faces criminal charges in four separate cases.
USA Today also noted there were cheers and boos. The pictures of Trump flipping burgers is iconic. Sorry, love or hate the man, he knows how to weaponize something as simple as a tailgate to his advantage. Are we shocked some people booed him?
All eyes are on Iowa.
— Good Morning America (@GMA) September 10, 2023
Despite traveling to Iowa far less than opponents, former President Donald Trump’s commanding lead was fully displayed in Iowa. ABC News' @rachelvscott has more on the race to the White House. https://t.co/QgAX7wRgUQ pic.twitter.com/JZqL57f79y
JUST IN: Former president Donald Trump gets surrounded by fans as he arrives at Jack Trice stadium to attend the Iowa-Iowa State rivalry game.
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) September 9, 2023
Four indictments, 44 federal charges, 47 state charges, constant attacks from the media, constant attacks from both Republican and… pic.twitter.com/QDDlHDhVrL
How many videos have we seen of Donald Trump being surrounded by thousands of screaming fans?
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) September 9, 2023
Tons.
The biggest mystery in the last decade continues to be how Biden, someone who couldn’t get more than 100 people at a rally, won the election with 81M votes despite losing 80+% of… pic.twitter.com/JwOimiRznW
Donald Trump throws out signed footballs at a tailgate ahead of the Iowa vs. Iowa State Cy-Hawk rivalry game in Ames pic.twitter.com/mQ5ChzV8Ga
— Amanda Rooker KCCI (@ARookerKCCI) September 9, 2023
President @realDonaldTrump flipping burgers at Iowa State University! 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/hUjBVEFeoW
— Margo Martin (@margommartin) September 9, 2023
Donald Trump shows off a burger while attending a fraternity tailgate ahead of the Cy-Hawk rivalry football game in Ames, Iowa pic.twitter.com/h7yZRa1xf2
— Brianne Pfannenstiel (@brianneDMR) September 9, 2023
This picture of multiple people flipping off Donald Trump in Iowa is AMAZING. Couldn’t happen to a better guy. pic.twitter.com/d4PmV0muZQ
— Harry Sisson (@harryjsisson) September 9, 2023
Nothing says “confidence” like adding in fake crowd approval to videos of Trump during a rare public appearance.
— Matt Whitlock (@mattdizwhitlock) September 9, 2023
Compare the real audio with some clear boos (shared by @RSBNetwork) to the doctored video with added cheers shared by Trump supporters. pic.twitter.com/X2POiAXIdf
How pathetic!
— Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) September 10, 2023
MAGA Twitter accounts altered the audio to hide the storm of booing Donald Trump received at an Iowa college football game. pic.twitter.com/I5L9OmS7yl
The city rests in Story County, a Democratic stronghold since the late 1980s.
It also doesn’t matter since he’s likely to be the 2024 Republican nominee. As for the debate about his reception, it’s silly, though one that is primed for a social media flame war. It’s obvious that Trump had supporters and detractors there, which is America in a nutshell. It didn't need to become this Grassy Knoll/Warren Commission-like exercise. This discussion isn’t all-or-nothing, but that’s the line drawn...about a football game.
Trump was either welcomed universally or booed out of the stadium. Pick your side.
The fact that I've seen simultaneous tweets that said Trump got an incredible reception and that he got booed out of the stadium completely at Iowa/ISU is exactly why I avoid political coverage all together now.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) September 9, 2023
Editor's Note: I screwed up the location of the game. My apologies, folks though both campuses still reside in blue bastions.
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