Former US President Donald Trump has secured a crushing victory in Iowa, receiving more than half of the votes in the State’s caucuses.
Winning 51 per cent of the vote, it is the largest share of the vote in the history of the Iowa caucus, and five percentage points higher than the previous record of 46 per cent, achieved by Gerald Ford in 1976.
The primaries will decide the two main candidates for the White House, having kicked off in Iowa this month, with New Hampshire next to vote.
Contenders will be narrowed down gradually until one gains enough support to be named the official nominee for their party. The final decision will be confirmed this summer, with general election campaigning to follow.
Addressing supporters in a 20-minute victory speech, Trump called for unity, stating: “I really think this is time now for everybody, for our country, to come together.”
“Whether it’s Republican, or Liberal, or Democrat or Conservative – it would be so nice if we could come together and straighten out the world, and straighten out the problems. And all of the death and destruction that we’re witnessing.”
“It’s practically never been like this,” he said, adding: “It’s just so important.”
“We’re going to come together,” he told the crowd, adding, “It’s going to happen soon.”
It was a speech which focused on the country’s immigration policies under the Biden presidency, with Trump telling voters, “We’re going to seal up the border,” which resulted in cheers and applause.
“Right now we have an invasion of millions and millions of people that are coming into our country,” he said. “I can’t imagine why they think that’s a good thing. It’s a very bad thing.”
He continued, “I think it’s a group of people that probably are larger in number than New York State, and we can’t have that. We can’t have that.
“It’s not sustainable as a country. It’s horrible.”
“You know,” he told the crowd. “They’re coming from prisons and jails. They’re coming from all over. They’re coming from countries that most people have never heard of – and they’re coming from mental institutions and insane asylums. They’re being emptied out into our country.”
Trump also claimed that “many terrorists” were entering the country.
He said that under Biden’s tenure, “hundreds and hundreds” of terrorists had entered the country.
“Known terrorists,” he said. “Some of them [are] really bad,” adding that many had entered and “nobody knows where they are” at present.
“This is not a good thing,” the former president said.
“We’re going to have to have a deportation level that we haven’t seen in this country for a long time.”
“I don’t want to be overly rough on the president,” he said of President Biden. “But I have to say that he is the worst president that we’ve had in the history of our country.”
“He’s destroying our country,” Trump added.
“We have to stop the crime,” Trump said, “And we have to rebuild our cities, and we have to rebuild the capitol, Washington DC.”
Congratulating fellow Republican nomination rival, Vivek Ramaswamey, who finished in fourth place, Trump told supporters, “He did a heck of a job. He came from zero, and he’s got a big percent – 8 percent – probably 8 percent. It’s an amazing job. They’re all very smart people, very capable people.”
His victory saw his Republican rival Vivek Ramaswamy bow out of the race, declaring his support for Trump after he secured just 8 per cent of the vote.
“There is no path for me to be the next president,” he said, adding that he was endorsing Trump.
“There are two America First candidates in this race, and earlier tonight I called Trump to tell him that I congratulated him on his victory, and now, going forward, he will have my full endorsement for the presidency.”
The biotech entrepreneur was speaking to supporters gathered at a hotel in Des Moines, Iowa, after Trump came first in the Iowa caucuses.
“And I think we’re going to do the right thing for this country. And so I’m going to ask you to follow me in taking our America First movement to the next level,” the 38-year-old added.
Ron De Santis narrowly claimed second place, while Nikki Haley came third – securing 21.2 per cent and 19.1 per cent of the vote respectively.
Following Trump’s success, current President Joe Biden urged Americans to side with him against what he described as “extreme MAGA Republicans,” as he wasted no time in appealing for funds.
“Looks like Donald Trump just won Iowa,” Biden wrote on X. “He’s the clear front runner on the other side at this point.
“This election was always going to be you and me versus extreme MAGA Republicans. It was true yesterday and it’ll be true tomorrow.”
Issuing a fundraising appeal in the wake of Trump’s triumph, he added: “So if you’re with us, chip in now.”
Looks like Donald Trump just won Iowa. He’s the clear front runner on the other side at this point.
But here’s the thing: this election was always going to be you and me vs. extreme MAGA Republicans. It was true yesterday and it’ll be true tomorrow.
So if you’re with us, chip…
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) January 16, 2024
“If Donald Trump is our opponent, we can expect vile attacks, endless lies, and massive spending,” the Biden campaign warned in a message to supporters.