Major Controversies Surrounding Joni Ernst: A Detailed Timeline

A closer look at the most debated and controversial moments involving Joni Ernst.

Joni Ernst is an American politician and retired military officer. She has served as the junior United States Senator from Iowa since 2015. A Republican, she previously served in the Iowa State Senate (2011-2014) and as auditor of Montgomery County (2005-2011). She held the position of Chair of the Senate Republican Policy Committee from 2023 to 2025 and prior to that, served as the Vice Chair of the Senate Republican Conference, making her a high-ranking member of the Senate Republican leadership.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Controversies & Scandals

2013: Comments on Nullification

In 2013, Joni Ernst stated that Congress should not pass laws "that the states would consider nullifying", referring to what she called "200-plus years of federal legislators going against the Tenth Amendment's states' rights." Courts have consistently ruled that nullification is unconstitutional.

2013: Comments on Government Dependence

In 2013, Joni Ernst stated that there was a "generation of people that rely on the government to provide absolutely everything for them" and that removing them from government programs such as the Affordable Care Act "is going to be very painful".

2013: Voted for Fetal Personhood Amendment

In 2013, Joni Ernst voted for a fetal personhood amendment in the Iowa Senate.

May 2014: Controversy over Missed Votes

In May 2014, Joni Ernst stated she was "extremely offended" by comments characterizing her as AWOL due to missing over 100 votes in the legislative session, during a Des Moines Register interview.

October 2014: Comments on Campaign Finance Laws

In an October 2014 debate, Joni Ernst stated she "believe[s] in political free speech” and did not see a need to change campaign finance laws.

2014: Statement on Climate Change Science

During a 2014 debate, Joni Ernst said she did not know the science behind climate change and couldn't say whether its impact was manmade or not.

2014: Campaign Stance on Nullification

During her 2014 Senate campaign, Joni Ernst's spokespeople argued that she did not support nullification, and that "her comments on it were about encouraging Iowans to send her to Washington to pass good laws."

2014: Criticism of President Obama

In 2014, Joni Ernst called President Barack Obama a "dictator" and suggested he should be "removed from office" or face "impeachment", criticizing his recess appointments and his handling of the Ebola outbreak.

2014: Criticism of the Department of Education

In 2014, Joni Ernst claimed that 94% of employees at the Department of Education had been deemed “nonessential” and argued funding would be better spent at the state and local level.

2014: Criticism of the Clean Water Act

In 2014, Joni Ernst criticized the impact of the Clean Water Act on farms and businesses and said she would have voted against the 2014 U.S. Farm Bill.

2014: Opposition to Cap-and-Trade

In 2014, Joni Ernst stated she was "adamantly opposed" to cap-and-trade, a market-based approach to reducing carbon emissions, during her Senate campaign, where she received support from the Koch brothers.

2014: Comments on Second Amendment Rights and Santa Barbara Shooting

In 2014, during a debate referencing the Santa Barbara shooting, Joni Ernst stated her belief that the tragedy should not infringe upon people's Second Amendment rights.

2014: Comments on Same-Sex Marriage

In 2014, during a debate, Joni Ernst stated that she believes same-sex marriage is a state's rights issue, but that she would support a federal ban if one were proposed. In the Iowa Senate, she co-sponsored a bill to amend the state constitution to define marriage as between one man and one woman.

2016: Opposed Garland Nomination

Eight months before the 2016 presidential election, Joni Ernst opposed Senate consideration of Barack Obama's Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland.

2016: Endorsement of Steve King

In 2016, Joni Ernst endorsed Steve King, a Republican House Representative known for his racist rhetoric, when he faced a primary challenge, saying he "stands strong for life and liberty."

2017: Legislation to block Planned Parenthood funding

In 2017, Joni Ernst introduced legislation aimed at allowing states to block Planned Parenthood from receiving Title X grants or reimbursements for treating Medicaid patients.

2017: Response to Criticism of Steve King

In 2017, Joni Ernst said she did not condone Steve King's behavior but would not ask for his resignation after King attracted criticism for saying "we can't restore our civilization with somebody else's babies" and for supporting European far-right politicians.

2018: Appearance with Steve King at Rally

In 2018, Joni Ernst appeared with Steve King at a rally in his district after King had endorsed a Canadian politician with neo-Nazi ties.

2018: Reiterated Supreme Court Nominee Stance

In 2018, Joni Ernst reiterated that Supreme Court nominees should not be heard during presidential election years, referring to precedent.

2018: Criticism of Scott Pruitt

In 2018, Joni Ernst stated that EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt had lied to her about upholding the Renewable Fuel Standard and called Pruitt "about as swampy as you get".

2018: Remarks on Stoneman Douglas High School Shooting

In 2018, following the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, Joni Ernst identified mental illness as the "root cause" of mass shootings. She later cosponsored a bill to mandate federal authorities to promptly inform states if a person fails a background check while attempting to purchase a firearm.

2018: Response to Fourth National Climate Assessment

In 2018, following the release of the Fourth National Climate Assessment, Joni Ernst stated that "our climate always changes and we see those ebb and flows through time".

December 2019: Coordination with Political Nonprofit

In December 2019, the Associated Press reported that Joni Ernst's campaign had closely coordinated with a political nonprofit, leading to a complaint filed with the Federal Election Commission.

2019: Rebuke of Steve King

In 2019, amid extensive criticism of Steve King after he made controversial remarks about white supremacy, Joni Ernst rebuked him. The New York Times noted that her belated distancing from King might harm her 2020 reelection effort.

2019: Relationship with Legislative Affairs Official

In March 2025, it was reported that in 2019, Joni Ernst had romantic relationships with a "legislative affairs official" for the Navy.

January 2020: Petitioned Supreme Court to Reconsider Roe v. Wade

In January 2020, Joni Ernst petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to reconsider Roe v. Wade.

February 2020: Acquittal Vote for Trump Impeachment

In February 2020, Joni Ernst voted to acquit President Trump on both articles of impeachment, asserting he had learned his lesson while also suggesting Joe Biden could face impeachment if he became president.

August 2020: COVID-19 Conspiracy Theory

In August 2020, when Iowa had the most new COVID-19 infections per capita, Joni Ernst repeated a debunked conspiracy theory that case numbers were inflated.

September 2020: Supported Nomination of New Justice

In September 2020, Joni Ernst said she supported Trump nominating a new justice to replace Ruth Bader Ginsburg before the November presidential election.

May 28, 2021: Vote Against Capitol Attack Commission

On May 28, 2021, Joni Ernst voted against the creation of an independent commission to investigate the January 6, 2021, United States Capitol attack.

September 2021: Accused Biden of Overstepping Presidential Powers

In September 2021, Joni Ernst accused President Joe Biden of overstepping presidential powers with the "Path Out of the Pandemic" initiative.

2021: Response to Capitol Storming

In 2021, Joni Ernst was participating in the certification of the 2021 United States Electoral College vote when Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol. She voted to support certification and opposed impeaching Trump.

August 2022: Vote Against Insulin Price Cap

In August 2022, Joni Ernst voted against capping the price of insulin at $35, despite having two diabetic family members.

2022: Support of the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade

In 2022, Joni Ernst voiced her support for the Supreme Court's decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, which overturned Roe v. Wade, and characterized it as a science-based decision.

2023: Relationship with Air Force General

In March 2025, it was reported that Joni Ernst had romantic relationship with "the general who oversaw" the Air Force's "lobbying before Congress" at some point before the Inspector General for the Air Force completed a report on that general's behavior in 2023.

March 2025: Report on Relationships and Conflict of Interest

In March 2025, ProPublica reported that Joni Ernst had romantic relationships with a "legislative affairs official" for the Navy in 2019 and "the general who oversaw" the Air Force's "lobbying before Congress" at some point before 2023, raising conflict of interest questions about Ernst's service on the Armed Services Committee.

May 30, 2025: "We Are All Going to Die" Controversy

On May 30, 2025, at a town hall meeting, Joni Ernst responded to concerns about Medicaid and SNAP cuts by saying, "Well, we are all going to die. For heaven's sakes, folks". Subsequent backlash led to a sarcastic apology video on Instagram where she walked around a graveyard and insinuated her constituents were uneducated about death. She also encouraged people to embrace Jesus Christ for eternal life. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer mockingly called the One Big Beautiful Bill Act the "We're All Going to Die Act".