'That is the smartest governor': Donald Trump tells story of meeting Terry Branstad
Stephen Gruber-MillerSpeaking at the Des Moines International Airport on Wednesday, President Donald Trump recounted an early meeting with Terry Branstad, who would later go on to become Trump's U.S. Ambassador to China.
The rally drew a crowd of Iowa Republican politicians who got shout-outs from the president during his remarks, including Gov. Kim Reynolds, Lt. Gov. Adam Gregg, Iowa Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver, Iowa GOP Chair Jeff Kaufmann and Iowa House Speaker Pat Grassley, the grandson of U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley.
"I want to bet on that guy in the future," Trump said of the younger Grassley.
But Trump had more to say about Branstad, the former Iowa governor, whom he selected as his ambassador to China.
"Do we have time for one quick story about Branstad?" Trump asked the crowd, before launching into a tale about a meeting he had with Branstad in New York before he ran for president.
He said Branstad was in New York and wanted to see him. "And I said, 'What the hell do I want to see the governor of Iowa for?'" Before adding that "I figured I'd give him like five minutes."
"And I ended up spending an hour and a half. I said, 'That is the smartest governor,'" Trump said.
At that meeting, Trump said Branstad told him the story of when Branstad took his first trip to China as governor in 1984 and first met Xi Jinping, who was then a feed cooperative director from Hebei Province and would go on to become China's president.
"He said, 'I just met the next president of China, many years forward, but I just met a future president of China.' And I said, 'Who was that?' That was president Xi, who is now the president of China," Trump said, recounting his conversation with Branstad. "And I said, 'You gotta be kidding.' He said, 'No, I could tell right from the beginning he was different.'"
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Branstad was a strong supporter of Trump's 2016 campaign, and his son, Eric Branstad, helped run Trump's Iowa campaign. Trump said he remembered his earlier meeting with the elder Branstad after he won and had to choose an ambassador to China.
"I said we have to pick somebody really smart for China. And I said, ‘You know the governor of Iowa came to me and told me that story.’ And I called him and I said, 'How would you like to be ambassador to China?' And he said, 'Sir, I’ve been doing this for 24 years. It would be an honor.’ And I have to tell you this: He represented us great with China," Trump said.
Branstad resigned as ambassador this fall and returned to Iowa, where he is now campaigning for the re-election of Trump and U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst, who is locked in a competitive race this year with Democrat Theresa Greenfield.
"About a month ago he called," Trump said of Branstad. "He said, 'Sir, I want to come home now. I want to make sure you get re-elected. I want to come home.' And he’s out there. I know he’s out there working, but we love him. He’s a special guy."
Wrapping up the story, Trump asked Branstad: "The only question I have is: Do we call you Mr. Ambassador or Mr. Governor. What do you like?"
"He said either one is OK," Trump told the crowd.
Trump also praised U.S. Sens. Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst, who are in Washington, D.C., this week participating in hearings for Trump's Supreme Court nominee, Amy Coney Barrett. Both senators sit on the Senate Judiciary Committee.
"Nobody called me more on ethanol than Joni and Chuck," Trump said. "In fact, I used to duck their calls. ‘Tell them I’m not in. just tell them I’m not in. I can’t take it anymore, Joni.’ But that’s what a good senator is. They want to keep your state going."
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Trump urged the crowd to re-elect Ernst this fall. As for Grassley, whose term runs through 2022, Trump said "we don't have to worry about him. He'll be around forever."
"You know what I love about Chuck Grassley? He’s got that voice, that great voice. Even when he’s being nice, he sounds like the toughest guy," Trump said.
Stephen Gruber-Miller covers the Iowa Statehouse and politics for the Register. He can be reached by email at sgrubermil@registermedia.com or by phone at 515-284-8169. Follow him on Twitter at @sgrubermiller.
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