(Radio Iowa) – Former President Donald Trump kicked off his campaign for the 2024 Iowa Caucuses in Davenport by promising to promote Iowa-made ethanol and to oppose raising the retirement age for Social Security. “We won Iowa twice and unfortunately we’re going to have to do it a second time because something happened,” Trump said as he took the stage. Trump was greeted with chants of U-S-A and got several standing ovations last (Monday) night.

“2024 is the final battle,” Trump said. “…We will evict Joe Biden from the White House.” Trump used a derogatory nickname to describe Florida Senator Ron DeSantis, who is likely to challenge Trump in 2024. Trump also spent a section of his speech talking about the war in Ukraine. He suggested the casualties and destruction have been underestimated and there is a threat of the conflict spiraling into nuclear war.

“Standing before you today, I am the only candidate who can make this promise: ‘I will prevent World War III,'” Trump said, to cheers, “because I really think you’re going to have World War III.” Trump promised as president he’d ban biological men from competing in women’s sports and he called for the direct election of principals by parents. “I will immediately sign a new executive order cutting federal funding for any school that’s pushing critical race theory (or) transgender insanity,” Trump said, to extended cheers.

Trump also said any school should be denied federal funds if they require masks or have a COVID-19 vaccine mandate. As he did during his first official Iowa campaign stop in mid-2015, Trump finished the event by taking questions from the crowd in Davenport’s Adler Theater, then stayed to shake hands and pose for pictures.