Trump Rallies in Kansas and Iowa Are Reportedly Back On

President Trump is now expected to hold in-person rallies in Kansas and Iowa on Sunday, according to reports Friday. Plans called for Salina, Kansas, and Dubuque, Iowa, though the Iowa city was reported differently as the day went on. The reports reverse a Republican National Committee announcement on Thursday evening that the events would no longer happen as scheduled and would be replaced with tele-rallies.

The reversal rests mostly on anonymous sources. By Friday, a source familiar with the plans told CNBC and The Hill that the rallies were back on. The change was reported hours after the RNC release. Originally the Kansas stop was set for Saturday and the Iowa stop for Sunday. Both now fall on Sunday, November 1, two days before Election Day on November 3.

The timing matters. According to the Associated Press, early voting is up roughly 30 percent in competitive Senate states, including Iowa and Kansas.

From Canceled to Rescheduled in a Day

CNBC reported that the RNC's Thursday release said the Kansas and Iowa rallies would no longer go ahead as scheduled. CNBC also said Trump and Vice President JD Vance had canceled appearances across three states. The coverage reviewed for this story did not name the third state. The AP reported that the Kansas cancellation became public after Trump returned from a campaign event in South Carolina on Thursday.

The Hill said the original shift was seen as a major reversal from in-person rallies by Trump and Vance. The outlet also said Republicans appeared to be losing ground in Iowa and Kansas over disapproval of Trump and his handling of the economy.

The anonymous source's explanation was simple. The rallies, the source said, had been "rearranged for scheduling purposes" to make room for dozens of added tele-rallies. In a statement given on background to Newsweek, the White House said Trump would hold the rallies "in addition to nearly 20 tele-rallies." Newsweek also quoted a White House source as saying: "President Trump loves his supporters."

Which Iowa City, and Why the Change

Even the location moved. An early AP report said Cedar Rapids would replace Dubuque as the Iowa stop. An updated AP story said plans shifted back to Dubuque a few hours later. It added that the RNC later confirmed Dubuque and Salina. Exact venues and start times were not available when this story was written. The RNC's own statements were not reviewed directly.

Nobody has offered a clear account on the record. The scheduling explanation comes from an unnamed source, and The Hill noted speculation about the real reason for the scaled-back travel. Trump's own remarks, as reported by the AP, tell a somewhat different story.

Before the reversal, Trump said: "I'm not going to Kansas because he's doing very well." The AP read that as a reference to Sen. Roger Marshall, who is seeking reelection. Trump also said: "I don't feel I have to go to Kansas." He then described calls from "my friends" in those states, saying: "if you can go, you would be better than a telerally."

The Health Question

The AP reported that Trump "furiously pushed back" on suggestions that the cancellation was tied to fatigue or health. CNBC noted that Trump has acknowledged strain from the dense schedule.

Newsweek's web address suggests its coverage involved a poll showing a Republican trailing a Democrat in Kansas, but that was not verified for this story.

What Comes Next

CNBC reported that Trump's rally in Daytona Beach, Florida, was still set for Friday, though that detail came from a CNBC snippet reviewed for this story. The rallies are scheduled for Sunday, November 1, with Election Day following on November 3. Final venue and timing details from the RNC are still to come, and whether the plan holds will be clear by Sunday.