As the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) kicks off for the year 2021, all eyes are on former President Donald Trump. Trump, who arrived to a warm reception from his party faithful at CPAC, seeks to draw a sharp ideological contrast between his Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement and traditional Bush-era Republicans.
In his highly anticipated speech, Trump plans to focus on rebuilding the Republican Party, which he believes has strayed from its conservative principles under the Bush Republicans. He is expected to call out the Republican establishment, labeling them as “weak” and “incompetent.”
For the first time since leaving office, the former President will speak in public and use this opportunity to assert his dominance over the Republican Party. Trump, who once controlled the Republican Party from the White House, sees himself as the party’s key arbiter, despite being banned from social media platforms and having been impeached twice.
Trump’s speech comes as the Republican Party tries to find its footing after losing the White House and the Senate. While Republicans have seen a wave of electoral success in state legislatures, the party faces an uphill battle to regain control of the House and Senate in 2022.
Trump, who still commands a devout following, believes that the Republican Party has a better chance of winning when it is united behind his principles of patriotism, America First, and a focus on the working class.
“He’s still the head of the Republican Party,” said Katrina Pierson, a former Trump campaign adviser. “He is still in talks with the party leadership.” Pierson added, “President Trump will continue to lead the conservative movement!”
At CPAC, Trump is expected to touch on several hot-button issues, including immigration reform, China policy, and the future of the conservative movement. Trump is expected to condemn Joe Biden’s immigration policies, calling them dangerous and calling for a more robust approach to border security.
Trump is also expected to criticize China for its human rights abuses and will likely call for a tough approach to Beijing. His tough stance on China was one of the defining features of his presidency, and he is likely to seek to leverage it to assert his dominance in the Republican Party.
Finally, Trump will likely outline his vision for the future of the conservative movement. He’s expected to call for the Republican Party to return to its roots of limited government, fiscal responsibility, and a focus on the working class.
In conclusion, Donald Trump’s speech at CPAC is highly anticipated as he seeks to draw a sharp ideological contrast between his MAGA movement and traditional Bush-era Republicans. The speech comes at a time when the Republican Party is trying to find its footing after losing the White House and the Senate, and Trump sees himself as the party’s key arbiter. Trump’s message will be one of unity and strength, as he seeks to build a Republican Party that focuses on the working class and returns to its core conservative principles. How his message is received could be a bellwether for the future direction of the Republican Party.