GOP presidential candidates jump to defend Iowa governor from Trump’s criticism over remaining neutral

By Kristen Holmes, Kate Sullivan and Jack Forrest, CNN

(CNN) — A handful of Republican presidential candidates on Monday came to the defense of Iowa Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds – who holds a uniquely powerful position as governor of the first-in-the-nation GOP caucus state – after former President Donald Trump criticized her for staying neutral in the 2024 nominating contest.

Reynolds has said she would attend events for all candidates if they’d like her to and her schedule permits. But Trump’s advisers have taken particular issue with the governor attending several of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ events and joining Casey DeSantis last week in her first solo campaign trip to the state. The former president on Monday slammed Reynold’s neutrality, arguing he had boosted her successful 2018 gubernatorial bid with his endorsement.

Trump’s criticism puts him at odds with the popular Iowa GOP governor, who won reelection by nearly 19 points last fall – and it marks a moment of division between the Republican 2024 front-runner and some of the candidates trying to take him down.

DeSantis in a tweet called the Iowa governor “a strong leader who knows how to ignore the chirping and get it done.” He added: “She earned a landslide re-election because she delivered big results, and she is poised to deliver even more for Iowans in the special session.”

Reynolds, who has been in high demand in the early caucus state, has also attended and spoken at campaign events for other candidates, including South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley.

Haley called the governor a “conservative rockstar” in a tweet. “Like I always say, Iowa grows strong women!”

Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, who’s running on a more explicitly anti-Trump platform, called the former president’s criticism of Reynolds “dictatorial,” tweeting: “No one should be attacked for declining to endorse a politician. That behavior is dictatorial. I applaud @KimReynoldsIA for welcoming all GOP candidates into Iowa. America deserves better than Donald Trump.”

North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum told CNN’s Erin Burnett on “OutFront” that Reynolds “is doing a great job being neutral.”

“I trust Kim Reynolds. I think she’s doing a great job. And, of course, everybody loves to campaign with Kim. She’s super popular in Iowa,” he said.

Trump has taken credit for Reynolds’ victory in Iowa and often mentions that her husband has gone hunting with his son Donald Trump Jr. when speaking about the governor.

“I opened up the Governor position for Kim Reynolds, & when she fell behind, I ENDORSED her, did big Rallies, & she won. Now, she wants to remain ‘NEUTRAL.’ I don’t invite her to events!” Trump said on his social media website Truth Social on Monday.

Reynolds assumed the governorship in 2017 after Trump had tapped former Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad as his ambassador to China.

CNN has reached out to Reynolds for comment.

It’s her perceived coziness with DeSantis that has most irked Trump and his team.

“By attending all of DeSantis’s events, and only one of Trump’s, she’s not really doing a good job of being neutral,” one source close to Trump said. “We don’t sit around talking about it, but we do think she’s shown a preference for [Ron DeSantis].”

During Trump’s first trip to Iowa after launching his 2024 presidential bid, sources close to the former president complained that Reynolds had appeared to be “glowing” just days before during a DeSantis event and seemed less enthusiastic when appearing next to Trump.

Reynolds did not appear at Trump’s event in the state last Friday. Despite Trump’s assertion that he does not invite Reynolds to his events, one source described the governor as having a “standing invitation” to all Trump events.

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CNN’s Steve Contorno and Eva McKend contributed to this report.