EXHIBIT 25.1

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D. C. 20549
                           --------------------------

                                    FORM T-1

                            STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY
                    UNDER THE TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939 OF
                   A CORPORATION DESIGNATED TO ACT AS TRUSTEE
                           --------------------------

                      CHECK IF AN APPLICATION TO DETERMINE
                      ELIGIBILITY OF A TRUSTEE PURSUANT TO
                            SECTION 305(b)(2) _______
                           --------------------------

                     UNITED STATES TRUST COMPANY OF NEW YORK
              (Exact name of trustee as specified in its charter)

                  New York                                 13-3818954
       (Jurisdiction of incorporation                  (I. R. S. Employer
        if not a U. S. national bank)                  Identification No.)

            114 West 47th Street                           10036-1532
             New York,  New York                           (Zip Code)
            (Address of principal
             executive offices)

                           --------------------------
                             MCLEODUSA INCORPORATED
               (Exact name of OBLIGOR as specified in its charter)

                  Delaware                                 42-1407240
       (State or other jurisdiction of                 (I. R. S. Employer
       incorporation or organization)                  Identification No.)

          McLeodUSA Technology Park                        52406-3177
      6400 C Street, SW. P. O. Box 3177                    (Zip code)
              Cedar Rapids, IA
  (Address of principal executive offices)

                           --------------------------
                            12% Senior Notes due 2008
                          11 1/2% Senior Notes due 2009
                       (Title of the indenture securities)

================================================================================



                                      -2-

                                     GENERAL


1.  GENERAL INFORMATION

    Furnish the following information as to the trustee:

    (a) Name and address of each examining or supervising authority to which it
        is subject.

           Federal Reserve Bank of New York (2nd District), New York, New York
               (Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System)
           Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Washington, D.C.
           New York State Banking Department, Albany, New York

    (b) Whether it is authorized to exercise corporate trust powers.

           The trustee is authorized to exercise corporate trust powers.

2.  AFFILIATIONS WITH THE OBLIGOR

    If the obligor is an affiliate of the trustee, describe each such
affiliation.

           None

3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15:

    The obligor currently is not in default under any of its outstanding
    securities for which United States Trust Company of New York is Trustee.
    Accordingly, responses to Items 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and
    15 of Form T-1 are not required under General Instruction B.


16. LIST OF EXHIBITS

    T-1.1      --     Organization Certificate, as amended, issued by the
                      State of New York Banking Department to transact business
                      as a Trust Company, is incorporated by reference to
                      Exhibit T-1.1 to Form T-1 filed on September 15, 1995 with
                      the Commission pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act of
                      1939, as amended by the Trust Indenture Reform Act of 1990
                      (Registration No. 33-97056).

    T-1.2      --     Included in Exhibit T-1.1.







    T-1.3      --     Included in Exhibit T-1.1.







                                       -3-

16. LIST OF EXHIBITS
    (CONT'D)

    T-1.4      --     The By-Laws of United States Trust Company of New York,
                      as amended, is incorporated by reference to Exhibit T-1.4
                      to Form T-1 filed on September 15, 1995 with the
                      Commission pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as
                      amended by the Trust Indenture Reform Act of 1990
                      (Registration No. 33-97056).

    T-1.6      --     The consent of the trustee required by Section 321(b)
                      of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended by the
                      Trust Indenture Reform Act of 1990.

    T-1.7      --     A copy of the latest report of condition of the trustee
                      pursuant to law or the requirements of its supervising or
                      examining authority.

NOTE

As of October 11, 2000, the trustee had 2,999,020 shares of Common Stock
outstanding, all of which are owned by its parent company, U.S. Trust
Corporation. The term "trustee" in Item 2, refers to each of United States Trust
Company of New York and its parent company, U. S. Trust Corporation.

In answering Item 2 in this statement of eligibility as to matters peculiarly
within the knowledge of the obligor or its directors, the trustee has relied
upon information furnished to it by the obligor and will rely on information to
be furnished by the obligor and the trustee disclaims responsibility for the
accuracy or completeness of such information.

                               ------------------

Pursuant to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, the trustee,
United States Trust Company of New York, a corporation organized and existing
under the laws of the State of New York, has duly caused this statement of
eligibility to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, all in the City of New York, and State of New York, on the11th day
of October, 2000.

UNITED STATES TRUST COMPANY
        OF NEW YORK, Trustee

By:__________________________
   James E. Logan
   Vice President







                                                          EXHIBIT T-1.6

        The consent of the trustee required by Section 321(b) of the Act.

                     United States Trust Company of New York
                              114 West 47th Street
                               New York, NY 10036


October 11, 2000



Securities and Exchange Commission
450 5th Street, N.W.
Washington, DC  20549

Gentlemen:

Pursuant to the provisions of Section 321(b) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939,
as amended by the Trust Indenture Reform Act of 1990, and subject to the
limitations set forth therein, United States Trust Company of New York ("U.S.
Trust") hereby consents that reports of examinations of U.S. Trust by Federal,
State, Territorial or District authorities may be furnished by such authorities
to the Securities and Exchange Commission upon request therefor.




Very truly yours,


UNITED STATES TRUST COMPANY
        OF NEW YORK



By:     /S/Gerard F. Ganey
        ---------------------
        Senior Vice President





                                                                 EXHIBIT T-1.7

                     UNITED STATES TRUST COMPANY OF NEW YORK
                       CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CONDITION
                                  JUNE 30, 2000
                                ($ IN THOUSANDS)




                                                            
ASSETS
Cash and Due from Banks                                              $      111,263
Short-Term Investments                                                      102,676

Securities, Available for Sale                                              565,989

Loans                                                                     2,751,688
Less:  Allowance for Credit Losses                                           17,800
                                                                        -----------
     Net Loans                                                            2,733,888
Premises and Equipment                                                       63,040
Other Assets                                                                322,866
                                                                        -----------
     TOTAL ASSETS                                                        $3,899,722
                                                                        ===========
LIABILITIES
Deposits:
     Non-Interest Bearing                                            $    1,019,497
     Interest Bearing                                                     1,985,062
                                                                         ----------
        Total Deposits                                                    3,004,559

Short-Term Credit Facilities                                                438,737
Accounts Payable and Accrued Liabilities                                    194,401
                                                                        -----------
     TOTAL LIABILITIES                                                   $3,637,697
                                                                        ===========
STOCKHOLDER'S EQUITY
Common Stock                                                                 14,995
Capital Surplus                                                              98,806
Retained Earnings                                                           152,765
Unrealized Loss on Securities
     Available for Sale (Net of Taxes)                                      (4,541)
                                                                       ------------
TOTAL STOCKHOLDER'S EQUITY                                                  262,025
                                                                       ------------
    TOTAL LIABILITIES AND
     STOCKHOLDER'S EQUITY                                                $3,899,722
                                                                       ============



I, Richard E. Brinkmann, Managing Director & Comptroller of the named bank do
hereby declare that this Statement of Condition has been prepared in conformance
with the instructions issued by the appropriate regulatory authority and is true
to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Richard E. Brinkmann, Managing Director & Controller




September 21, 2000