(Radio Iowa) – President Donald Trump says the top G-O-P leaders in congress are working on a deal that would ensure year-round sales of E-15 — the fuel that contains 15 percent ethanol. “I am trusting Speaker Mike Johnson, who’s great, and Leader John Thune, who’s great — that’s House and Senate — to find a deal that works,” Trump said. “We’ve got it for farmers, consumers and refiners — including small and mid-sized refiners.”

The issue was removed from a government spending bill last week after push back from critics in the House. During a speech in Iowa yesterday (Tuesday), Trump pushed the issue back into the spotlight with a question of the crowd. “Do you want me to do something with ethanol? Maybe,” Trump said, to cheers. Trump also cited a statement he made on the Iowa campaign trail in 2023.”In the campaign I promised to support E15 all year round,” Trump said.

E-10, which is 90 percent unleaded gas and 10 percent ethanol, is the most common blended fuel in the market today. While E-15 is available in many markets, the E-P-A has cited smog concerns and banned selling E-15 during the summer months. Iowa Renewable Fuels Association Executive Director Monte Shaw says Trump’s remarks are an important signal. “He publicly was telling congress to get this to his desk,” Shaw said, “and I think that’s going to be very helpful in getting the last few votes we need to get a deal through congress.”

Shaw is among a small group of ethanol advocates that met with Trump at a restaurant yesterday (Tuesday) afternoon to talk about E-15. “I think E15 could be President Trump’s singular achievement for farmers if he can actually push this through congress. I mean after all, we’ve been trying to do that for 10 years,” Shaw said. “…This would be brand new market demand and he would be the godfather of E15.” Trump spoke for nearly an hour to a crowd at an events center in Clive, reviewing his first year back in the White House and focusing on this year’s mid-term elections.

“If we lose the midterms, you’ll lose so many of the things we’re talking about, so many of the assets that we’re talking about, so many of the tax cuts that we’re talking about,” Trump said. “…I mean, I’m here because I love Iowa, but I’m here because we’re starting the campaign to win the midterms. You’ve got to win the midterms.” Second District Congresswoman Ashley Hinson, who’s running for the U-S Senate, and Third District Congressman Zach Nunn of Ankeny spoke to the crowd before Trump arrived.

“I’m asking for your help,” Nunn said. “The third district alone is one of the most competitive districts in the country and if we don’t have this, I’m going to tell you what’s going to happen: we’re going to lose our majority.” A few hours before Trump’s remarks, Iowa Democratic Party Chair Rita Hart told reporters Iowans are literally paying more because of his disastrous policies — like tariffs.

Tracy Chew, a U-A-W member recently laid off from the soon-to-close C-N-H plant in Burlington — joined the online news conference. “As far as Donald Trump…the tariffs and his policies, unfortunately those are not protecting the Americans that built these products,” Chew said. Outside the Trump rally, protesters lined the street. They carried signs demanding the removal of immigration and border patrol agents from Minneapolis.

Shirley Keenan of Des Moines says immigration officers are treating people inhumanely. “He needs to have a heart and follow the Constitution, quite frankly,” she said. “And Congress needs to act as they are supposed to, as a third equal branch of government and a check on the executive branch.”

A protester inside for Trump’s speech yelled “Release the files!” — a reference to the files related to convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein — and was escorted out by police.