The Iowa senator Joni Ernst has stated she turned down the opportunity to be Donald Trump’s vice-president because she believed her husband Gail “hated any successes I have”.

In an affidavit filed as part of divorce proceedings with her husband of 26 years, Ernst states: “in the summer of 2016, I was interviewed by Candidate Trump to be vice president of the United States. I turned Candidate Trump down, knowing it wasn’t the right thing for me or my family.

The Iowa Republican met with Trump in New Jersey at his Bedminister golf course on 4 July 2016 and gave a positive statement about the meeting. However, within two days, Ernst told Politico: “I made that very clear to him that I’m focused on Iowa. I feel that I have a lot more to do in the United States Senate. And Iowa is where my heart is.”

However, in the affidavit, Ernst points to a strained marriage as the reason for her decision. “Meanwhile, he hated any successes I had and would belittle me and get angry any time I achieved a goal,” she says.