Trump wins first Republican primary

Donald Trump emerged victorious in the Iowa Republican primaries on Monday evening. His triumph, declared just half an hour into the voting process, solidifies his position as the leading candidate on the right for the upcoming presidential elections in November.

Donald Trump secured 51% of the votes, with Ron DeSantis at 21,2% and Nikki Haley at 19,1%. Despite concerns about low turnout due to a snowstorm in the state, the former president inches closer to a potential face-off with Democrat Joe Biden, the incumbent leader of the White House.

Expressing confidence, Donald Trump anticipated a “tremendous” evening for his supporters. Voters gathered in various locations such as schools, libraries, and firehouses across Iowa for the renowned caucuses. These gatherings involved prayers, the recitation of the traditional pledge of allegiance to the American flag, and speeches by representatives advocating for their chosen candidates, followed by participants recording their choices on pieces of paper.

In his post-victory speech, Donald Trump reiterated key priorities for a potential second term in the White House, emphasizing a focus on increasing oil exploitation and halting immigration.

“We’re going to seal the border,” Trump declared, characterizing the current situation as an “invasion.” Recently asserting that immigrants are “poisoning the blood” of the nation, he asserted that those entering the country hail from “prisons,” “mental institutions,” “terrorist” cells, and countries unfamiliar to most people.

The 77-year-old business magnate pledged a “level of deportation that we haven’t seen in a long time.” Additionally, he outlined intentions to “straighten out our elections” and swiftly address conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza.

Repeating a familiar joke, Trump remarked that former President Jimmy Carter is likely pleased to be remembered as “a brilliant president compared to Joe Biden.”

He assured voters that this “special night” is only the beginning, as the real highlight will be in November, when the ultimate decision will be made on who emerges victorious in the race for the White House.

The initial skirmish in the Republican electoral contest also claimed its first casualty as entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, founder of a major pharmaceutical company, withdrew from the race for the Republican presidential primary following a 4th-place finish in Iowa. Ramaswamy declared his endorsement for former President Donald Trump.

Addressing a gathering of supporters in Iowa, Ramaswamy stated that there was no viable path for him to secure the presidency. As he announced the suspension of his campaign and voiced his support for Trump, a hush fell over the audience.

Ramaswamy asserted that he and Trump were the sole “America First” candidates in the race. This statement followed a social media attack from the former president earlier in the week, where Trump criticized Ramaswamy as “not MAGA” (Make America Great Again).