Trump rally in Cedar Rapids postponed; send-off planned for Branstad

William Petroski , Jason Noble | The Des Moines Register

Show Caption Hide Caption Trump introduces Branstad during 2016 "Thank You" tour stop President-elect Donald Trump introduces Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad, Trump's pick for ambassador to China.

President Donald Trump has postponed plans for a rally Thursday in Cedar Rapids, his presidential campaign said Saturday.

"Due to an unforeseen change in President Trump's schedule, we will need to unfortunately postpone the previously scheduled rally in Cedar Rapids on June 1," the campaign said in an email to supporters sent Saturday morning.

The rescheduled event will happen in mid- to late June and will double to function as a goodbye party for former Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad, who was nominated by Trump and confirmed earlier this week to be the next U.S. ambassador to China.

"We'll be coming back mid- to the latter part of June to do a send-off for Terry Branstad," Eric Branstad told The Register in an interview on Saturday.

Eric Branstad is the former governor's son, was Trump's Iowa campaign manager in 2016 and currently serves as the White House liaison to the U.S. Department of Commerce.

The rescheduled event will likely take place in Cedar Rapids, Eric Branstad said.

Trump had planned to hold the rally at the DoubleTree By Hilton Cedar Rapids Convention Complex in Cedar Rapids. His last visit to Iowa was during his "Thank You" tour as president-elect in December. Trump held a rally in Hy-Vee Hall in Des Moines to a crowd of 6,000 supporters and shared the stage with former Terry Branstad.

Vice President Mike Pence is still scheduled to headline U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst's Roast and Ride fundraiser on June 3 in Boone.

Pence will join U.S. Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., and a raft of Iowa GOP leaders, including newly sworn-in Gov. Kim Reynolds, U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley and U.S. Reps. David Young and Steve King.