United States President Donald Trump has reversed course on his decision to cancel campaign rallies, opting to reinstate in-person events in Kansas and Iowa ahead of Tuesday's midterm elections. The decision marks a sharp reversal after the President had stated he "don't feel I have to go to Kansas."

A source close to the Trump administration confirmed to Al Jazeera on Friday that Trump will headline the previously cancelled rallies, which have been rescheduled for Sunday. These events are now also slated to include more "tele-rallies," allowing the President to participate virtually.

Prior to Friday's reversal, Trump was scheduled to travel to Kansas on Saturday and Iowa on Sunday. Republican officials have not ruled out the possibility of an additional campaign event being added to the president’s schedule before the midterm election.

Trump had told reporters on Thursday that he was cancelling the rallies, stating, “We are going to have a strong ⁠Tuesday night,” referring to the midterm elections. His decision came amid polling data suggesting that voters in both Iowa and Kansas have trended more towards Democratic Senate candidates this campaign cycle.

In Kansas, Republican Senator Roger Marshall is facing an increasingly competitive race against his Democratic challenger, Adam Hamilton. An Emerson College poll released Friday found Hamilton leading Marshall 49 percent to 45 percent. Historically, Kansas has been a strong Republican state, with the party holding a firm grip on Senate seats for decades.

Analysts have suggested that Republican candidates might face voter backlash due to issues such as the rising cost of living and increased fuel prices, partly attributed to the ongoing war involving Iran. The approaching midterm elections are seen as a critical test for both parties, with control of Congress hanging in the balance.

Before the reversal, Marshall had defended Trump's earlier decision to cancel his rally, suggesting the President believed he was performing well enough in the polls that his time could be better spent elsewhere. Democrats, however, criticized Trump's initial move, accusing him of abandoning Republican candidates with the election just days away.

David Axelrod, a former senior adviser to President Barack Obama, characterized Trump's initial cancellation as a sign of diminishing enthusiasm for Republican candidates. The reinstatement of the rallies suggests a renewed effort by the Trump campaign to energize voters in key states during the final days of the election cycle.