A 'Where's Melania?' banner was flown over an Iowa football stadium just before Trump, DeSantis, and other presidential hopefuls arrived

• A "Where's Melania?" banner was flown from a plane in advance of the Cy-Hawk football game.
• Melania Trump has been absent from the campaign trail as her husband campaigns for a second term.

In advance of Saturday's Cy-Hawk football game between the Iowa Hawkeyes and the Iowa State Cyclones, politics was in the air.

Literally.

With former President Donald Trump set to attend the game, a "Where's Melania?" banner inquiring about the whereabouts of former first lady Melania Trump was flown above the Jack Trice Stadium in Ames, Iowa.

Melania Trump has been virtually absent from the campaign trail, instead remaining in Florida with the couple's son, Barron Trump. The former first lady firmly backs her husband's 2024 campaign but, according to The New York Times, has kept a low profile due to feelings of betrayal from an array of friends, aides, and family members during her time in the White House.

Trump, who hopes to maintain his frontrunner status in the Hawkeye State as he has strengthened his standing among Republican voters in national polls, is visiting the state for the second time in recent weeks.

Last month, Trump attended the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines.

Govs. Ron DeSantis of Florida and Doug Burgum of North Dakota, former Gov. Asa Hutchinson of Arkansas, and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy are also expected to attend the game.

This isn't the first time in the past few months that a Republican presidential candidate was trolled.

During the Iowa State Fair, a banner reading "Be likeable, Ron!" was flown from a plane at the well-attended event.