National Harbor, Maryland — The 2024 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) had low attendance for many sessions amid full support of former President Donald Trump.
CPAC, First held in 1974is an annual gathering of conservatives, usually held at the Gaylord National Harbor Convention Center near Washington, D.C., to discuss conservative ideas. This year, speakers uniformly supported former President Donald Trump, and many of the conference sessions were empty, leading attendees and commentators to wonder if the uniform support for Trump was the reason. suggested. (Related article: 'Dress like a Democrat': Matt Gaetz slams Republican rival in CPAC speech)
“We expected it to be bigger than other conferences we've been to in the past, but not necessarily as big as a big tent,” Jacob Schwartz, president of the Ludwig von Mises Institute, an economic think tank, told DCNF. Ta. Swartz reasoned that it was because the meeting was “more or less all about Trump.”
Empty seats during Argentine President Javier Millay's speech in the main hall of the Conservative Political Action Conference. Photo by Arjun Singh for the Daily Caller News Foundation.
“We're thrilled to have the American Conservative Union,” said Matt Schlapp, president of the American Conservative Union, the conference's organizer. approved Trump's candidacy in January.
“A lot of it was due to… the fragmentation of the conservative movement and the fact that a lot of people couldn't support Trump. And… you know, this year was a Trump conference, and that led to some kind of alienation.” “I think a lot of people are holding back from coming, especially since this is an election year and he's ready to be the candidate,” Mariyah Dunning, who attended from Virginia, told DCNF. Told.
The main hall was full ahead of President Trump's speech at the conference, but remained below capacity during speeches by two foreign leaders: El Salvador's President Nayib Boucle on Thursday and Argentina's President Javier Milei on Saturday. Ta. .
“I think most people can see that. He wasn't just the centerpiece. He wasn't just the featured guest. More or less, he was the conference itself,” Swartz said. he said.
Other speakers include President Trump's daughter-in-law Lara Trump, Arizona Republican Senate candidate Kari Lake, My Pillow CEO Mike Lindell, and Florida Republican Congressman. Matt Gates and former White House adviser Stephen Bannon were among those in attendance.
“I understand the argument that some people make that [make] “CPAC is going to be a much bigger tent,” Swartz added. “If you want, he could look back at his CPAC from, say, 10 years ago. There were more people.”
Many attendees were dressed in Trump-themed attire. Five guests from Texas wore shirts and held placards emblazoned with Trump's last name, while another wore a brick design resembling the border wall, a centerpiece of Trump's campaign promise. He was wearing a decorated suit.
“Incomplete attendance so far CPAC However, he remains a strong supporter of Trump.” Journalist Nick Robertson I have written on X (formerly Twitter).
“MAGA has certainly made the problem worse [CPAC] We already had it,” says conservative author Calvin Freiberger. I have written With X.
Several speakers at the conference emphasized Trump's support for the DCNF.
“I'm a huge supporter of his. I was right all along. I never wavered in that belief. And the world would be a better place if he returned to the White House.” I think so,” Nigel Farage, a British politician and former leader of the Brexit Party, told the DCNF on Thursday ahead of his speech at the conference.
“I like Trump better,” Bukele told DCNF.
“We welcome you to the America First movement with open arms,” Lake said in a speech just before Trump spoke. “Let’s go, Trump 2024!”
A bus with pro-Trump livery is parked in the exhibit hall at the Gaylord National Harbor Resort and Convention Center during the Conservative Political Action Conference.Photo by Arjun Singh for Daily Caller News Foundation
CPAC conducted a straw poll of attendees for President Trump's running mate. jointly won Republican South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy spoke at the conference.
“I feel like I’m the only one here not running for office. [Trump’s] Vice President,” Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton said in a speech.
CPAC did not respond to requests for comment.
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