Former President Donald Trump makes surprise visit at Bettendorf eatery

BETTENDORF, Iowa (KWQC) - After speaking in Maquoketa and Dubuque, former President Donald Trump made a surprise visit at Treehouse Pub and Eatery in Bettendorf.

Dozens of people showed up inside and outside of Treehouse to see the former president.

“I mean, getting out of school never thinking that the President of the United States would be at my job,” said Colten Sheldon, a Treehouse employee. “And I would have the honor to make pizzas for him.”

Sheldon says he helped make 55 pizzas for the former president and his staff. Along with the Treehouse staff, supporters lined up outside to see his departure.

“I think he’s amazing,” said Trump supporter, Gwen Shrake. “I waited all day, I got dressed up just for him. And I’d do it all again.”

“It’s amazing to be able to have a candidate this coming out and being able to do that and being able to go out there and talk to the people and be able to stop him for even if it’s just five minutes,” said Trump supporter, Scott Erickson. “You’ll come out there and say this is a great thing.”

The Scott County Republican Chair says it’s important for candidates to include the Quad Cities on the campaign trail.

“So many of the candidates just got into the Des Moines area,” said Chair of Scott County Republican Party, Jeanita McNulty. “So we work real hard to get candidates to come to Scott County. So when a former president comes again because he was here in March, we hope it encourages other candidates to come again and remember that we voted eastern Iowa to we have a lot of Republicans and Scott County. We welcome them to come as well.”

According to the Trump website, the former president’s next campaign stop will be in South Carolina.