Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird was the first statewide elected official in Iowa to endorse former President Donald Trump on Monday.
Bird announced her endorsement at a Trump campaign event in Adel, Iowa, and X, formerly known as Twitter.
I joined @realDonaldTrump on his flight into Iowa this morning to proudly endorse him for President!
President Trump has been a fighter for Iowa since day one and has DELIVERED on his promises.
It’s time to fire Joe Biden & Make America Great Again! 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/qzdptEB3JJ
— Brenna Bird (@BrennaBird) October 16, 2023
“I am proud to announce my endorsement of President Trump because Iowans know he is the only candidate who can defeat Joe Biden and bring prosperity back to America,” Bird said in a statement.
Bird, who was elected to office in 2022, has joined multiple lawsuits against President Joe Biden this year, criticizing the administration’s handling of climate change and the Southern border.
“President Biden is turning the border crisis into chaos,” Bird said in a June 1 statement. “We must take urgent action to secure our border and keep the Biden Administration in check.”
“We have seen what Joe Biden’s America looks like— rampant crime, lawlessness, and broken communities,” Bird said in Monday’s statement. “During President Trump’s first term, he stood up for law enforcement, kept our families safe, and secured our Southern border. He will do that again when he returns to the White House.”
Despite Bird’s adamant support of Trump, the two differ on issues like abortion and outward support for Iowa Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds.
Since taking office, Bird paused reimbursement to Iowa hospitals and pharmacies for emergency contraception and abortion care for rape survivors, filed an appeal to reinstate a six-week abortion ban, and co-hosted a multistate drive to raise money for pregnancy centers across the state.
Trump, on the other hand, gained recent backlash from anti-abortion advocates after calling Florida’s six-week ban “terrible” and refusing to endorse a nationwide abortion ban in September.
Despite leading the Republican race in Iowa, Trump sparked controversy after calling out Reynolds’ neutral stance on the 2024 race.
“I opened up the Governor position for Kim Reynolds, & when she fell behind, I ENDORSED her, did big Rallies, & she won,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post on July 10. “Now, she wants to remain ‘NEUTRAL.’ I don’t invite her to events! DeSanctus down 45 points!”
Meanwhile, Bird and Reynolds have worked closely with one another in their offices. On Oct. 14, Bird called Reynolds the “best Governor in the country.”
Reynolds endorsed Trump in 2016 and 2020, but has yet to endorse a candidate for 2024.
