Trump cancels Kansas and Iowa rallies, lashes out at reporter
He will hold phone campaign events instead of in-person appearances; confrontation with a Reuters reporter occurred on October 29, 2026.
President Donald Trump cancelled planned in-person campaign rallies in Kansas and Iowa that were scheduled for this weekend ahead of the congressional elections on November 3, 2026, saying he will substitute them with a series of phone rallies. The move prompted fresh questions about his physical condition and whether fatigue from intensive campaigning is a factor.
On October 29, 2026, after returning from a rally in South Carolina, Trump clashed with a reporter who had asked how he was feeling after extensive travel and whether the Kansas cancellation reflected tiredness.
Confrontation after a question about travel and health
The president told the reporter he felt fine and voiced confidence that Republicans would perform well in the midterm contests. When the journalist pressed again—asking if the Kansas trip was cancelled because Trump was tired of travelling—the president responded sharply and directly.
Trump told the reporter: "You're sick to ask that question. You are sick…I don't feel I have to go to Kansas…I feel perfect. You are disgusting. Put yourself in shape. You look like hell!"
He then asked the reporter which outlet he worked for and added a further personal remark about the journalist's condition: "Look at this guy. He's not in shape at all," before explaining his reasons for not travelling to Kansas.
Video of the exchange circulated on social media and a posted clip captured the verbal exchange between the president and the reporter on October 29. Trump’s decision to replace in-person events with telephone appearances comes amid intensified scrutiny of his stamina on the campaign trail.
Photo: press material from the event
