The event, which was hosted by the Iowa Democratic Party and held at Roosevelt High School, received over 1,500 RSVPs.
Walz rebuked the Trump administration’s plans to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education, as well as the administration's potential cuts to federal health care programs and trade war with Canada.
“They’re going to go after Medicare, they’re going to go after Medicaid, they’re going to go after Social Security and they’re going to go after education for the same reason that people rob a bank — that’s where the money is,” Walz said.
Walz’s visit to Iowa is part of a series of town halls supporting Democrats in swing districts. Des Moines is located in Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District, a seat held by Republican Rep. Zach Nunn.
Nunn won his second term in November, but the district is expected to be a target for national Democrats to flip again in 2026.
Referencing the federal freeze on local food programs, Walz told Iowans that the financial strain is unnecessary.
“This is them running the government out of oil, like running your car out of oil," he said. "They're breaking the systems."
At the end of the town hall, Walz asked the audience for suggestions on how Democrats should proceed. People yelled, “Get rid of Elon!” and “Be more aggressive!”
“He’s not here today, and I am,” Walz replied. “So there we go.”
