Former United States Presdient Donald Trump won the Iowa caucuses on Monday with his closest rivals languishing far behind, cementing his status as the presumptive Republican candidate.

It was not immediately clear who would emerge as the second-place finisher, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis or former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley. 

DeSantis and Haley are competing to emerge as the top alternative to the former president.

The results are just the first in what will be a months-long effort for Trump to secure the GOP nomination a third consecutive time. 

Trump was already looking ahead to a potential general election matchup against President Joe Biden as he addressed hundreds of cheering supporters at a caucus site at the Horizon Events Center in Clive, Iowa.