The DeSantis campaign accuses media outlets of 'election interference' for calling the Iowa caucuses for Trump early in the night

• A DeSantis spokesperson on Monday blasted the early projection calls for Trump in the Iowa caucuses.
• "Absolutely outrageous that the media would participate in election interference," Andrew Romeo wrote on X.

Roughly 30 minutes after the Iowa Republican caucuses began, most major media outlets called the race for former President Donald Trump, who had long been viewed as the heavy favorite in the Midwestern state.

But the campaign of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis was not thrilled with the race being called for Trump while votes are still being counted at precincts across the state, with spokesperson Andrew Romeo slamming the move as "election interference."

"Absolutely outrageous that the media would participate in election interference by calling the race before tens of thousands of Iowans even had a chance to vote," Romeo wrote on X. "The media is in the tank for Trump and this is the most egregious example yet."

For months, DeSantis has staked a lot on a strong showing in Iowa, battling against a robust Trump operation while also seeking to ward off the campaign of former UN ambassador Nikki Haley, who's surged in the New Hampshire primary contest and saw her poll numbers rise in the Hawkeye State in recent weeks.

The second and third-place finishers in Iowa have yet to be determined, but DeSantis and Haley are neck-and-neck as the results continue to be reported across the state.