Donald Trump was forced to postpone a MAGA rally in Iowa on Saturday after tornado warnings. 

The former president and Republican presidential frontrunner was scheduled to speak at an outdoor event in Des Moines, where a crowd of 5,000 was expected, but he cancelled "for the safety of our great patriots."

The National Weather Service had issued the warning until 7 p.m., an hour before Trump's rally was scheduled to begin.

"Stay tuned, we will reschedule soon. Be safe out there!" Trump told his online following.

Trump postpones rally

Before the weather intervened, Trump was scheduled to cross paths with chief Republican rival Ron DeSantis.

For DeSantis, Trump's decision was an opportunity to grab the spotlight and dispel doubts about the Florida governor's rumored aversion to retail politics.

DeSantis briefly mingled with voters and flipped hamburgers at an event in Sioux Center, on the state's western border about three hours from Des Moines. In a speech, DeSantis took subtle jabs at Trump's governing style and his claims that the 2020 election was stolen.

"If we get distracted, if we focus the election on the past or on other side issues, then I think the Democrats are going to beat us again," DeSantis said.

DeSantis takes jabs

Elsewhere, DeSantis declared, "governing is not about entertaining," a clear shot at Trump, who brought the house down at a CNN town hall last week that drew top ratings for the network and outrage from its liberal audience.

DeSantis also spoke at an event in Cedar Rapids with the Iowa Republican Party before making an unplanned stop at a BBQ restaurant in Des Moines late Saturday, where he mingled with the crowd and remarked, "It's a beautiful night" -- another apparent swipe at Trump.

The governor has lost momentum recently, with some donors questioning his political acumen as Trump establishes a commanding lead in the polls. It's a change from months ago, when DeSantis was riding high after winning re-election in a landslide.

DeSantis supporters have urged skeptics to wait until the governor jumps in the race officially, which is expected to happen any day now.

The governor's presence in Iowa, the traditional leader in the primary calendar, is an unmistakable signal of his presidential ambitions. Trump has accused his rival of staging a "shadow campaign."