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U.S. President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance have dropped several planned appearances in the closing days before the November 3 congressional midterm elections, according to reports from The Hill, NBC News and CBS News.

Trump will skip rallies expected this weekend in Iowa and Kansas and will instead take part in more than 20 online tele-rallies, while a planned Vance event in Minnesota was also called off.

Iowa and Kansas rallies dropped

Trump will not attend the election rallies that had been expected this weekend in Iowa and Kansas, The Hill reported. An unnamed White House official confirmed that the rally Trump had been due to attend in person in Kansas was cancelled, and the Republican National Committee announced that the Iowa rally was also off.

The official gave no details about why the in-person events were cancelled. Trump is quoted by NBC News as saying there was no need to travel to Kansas and arguing that Republican Senator Roger Marshall was performing well.

Shift to online campaigning

The White House official said Trump "will continue to communicate directly with Americans across the country through more than 20 (online) tele-rallies before Election Day," adding that the online format would give him a chance to widen his reach nationwide.

Trump is expected to hold tele-rallies covering Texas, Kansas, Iowa, New York, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Montana and South Carolina before November 3. The only in-person rally Trump is set to hold before the vote is an event today in Florida, the report said.

Vance event in Minnesota cancelled

A Justice Department official confirmed that a news conference on fraud that Vance had been scheduled to hold today in St. Cloud, Minnesota, was cancelled, CBS News reported. No information was given on the reason for the cancellation or whether the event would be rescheduled.

Timing noted alongside Iran warnings

Some websites and social media accounts pointed out that the cancellations coincide with reports of possible new U.S. attacks on Iran. The Associated Press, citing two American diplomats, reported that Washington warned allies in the Middle East that strikes on Iran could resume after next week's midterm elections and that they should be prepared for retaliation from Tehran.

The Wall Street Journal had also reported that the United States warned Gulf states to be ready for a possible military escalation with Iran.

Key takeaways

• Trump cancelled planned weekend rallies in Iowa and Kansas, with the RNC confirming both events are off.
• The White House said Trump will hold more than 20 online tele-rallies covering at least eight states before Election Day.
• Trump's only remaining in-person rally before the November 3 vote is scheduled today in Florida.
• A planned Vance news conference on fraud in St. Cloud, Minnesota today was also cancelled, with no reason given.