ORLANDO, Florida (AP) – Taking the stage for the first time since leaving office, former President Donald Trump called for Republican Party unity, though he exacerbated intra-party divisions by attacking fellow Republicans and promoting lies about elections in a speech he made clear he intends to remain a dominant political force.
Speaking Sunday at the Conservative Political Action Conference, where he has been hailed as a returning hero, Trump attacked his successor, President Joe Biden, and tried to set out a vision for the future of the Republican Party that turns firmly on his around, despite its loss. in November.
“Do you miss me yet?” Trump said, after taking to the stage, his old rally soundtrack and the applause of the supportive crowd.
Trump, in his speech, tried to minimize the civil war that took over the party to the extent that Republicans should embrace it, even as he unfolded a list of enemies, calling by name the 10 House Republicans and the seven Republican Party senators who voted to accuse him of inciting him to incite revolt at the U.S. Capitol. He ended by pointing out Rep. Liz Cheney, the No. 3 Republican in the House, who has faced a huge backlash in Wyoming to say that Trump should no longer play a role in the party or lead the event.
While insisting the split was just a spit “between a handful of Washington, DC, establishment pirates and everyone, across the country,” Trump received a message for headlines that had dared to cross. -lo: “Get rid of” everyone “.
The conference, held this year in Orlando instead of the suburbs of Washington to circumvent COVID-19 restrictions, served as a tribute to Trump and Trumpism, with a gold statue in his likeness on display. Speakers, including many potential aspirants to 2024, argued that the party should embrace the former president and his followers, even after the deadly insurgency at the Capitol on January 6th.
They also repeated panel after panel their unfounded claims that they lost re-election only because of the massive election fraud, although those claims have been rejected by judges, Republican state officials, and the Trump administration itself.
Trump also continued to repeat what Democrats have dubbed a “big lie,” calling the election a “trap” and insisting he won in November, even though he lost by more than 7 million votes.
“As you know, they just lost the White House,” he said of Biden, rewriting the story.
It is very unusual for former US presidents to publicly criticize their successors in the months following the resignation. Former presidents usually get out of the spotlight for at least a while; Barack Obama was famously seen doing holiday kitesurfing after he left, while George W. Bush said he believed Obama “deserves my silence” and started painting.
No Trump.
He uttered a strong disapproval of what he framed as the first month of failures of the new administration, especially Biden’s approach to immigration and the border.
“Joe Biden has had the most disastrous first month of any president in modern history,” Trump said.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki had rejected expected criticism last week. “We’ll see what he says, but our approach is certainly not what President Trump says at the CPAC,” he told reporters.
Aside from criticizing Biden, Trump used the speech to crown the future of the Republican party, even as many leaders argue that they must follow a new, less divisive leadership after Republicans have lost not only the White House, but the two chambers of Congress.
While Trump has flirted with the idea of creating a third party, he pledged on Sunday to remain part of “our beloved” Republican Party.
“I will continue to fight by your side. We don’t start new parties, “he said.” We have the Republican Party. It will be as strong and united as ever. “However, Trump devoted much of his speech to attacking those he has deemed insufficiently loyal to and christened them” RINOs “, only of republican name, for not having been with him.
“We can’t have leaders who show more passion for condemning their fellow Americans than they have ever shown for defending themselves against Democrats, the media, and radicals who want to turn America into a socialist country,” Trump said. .
Trump did not use his speech to announce plans to run again, but repeatedly mocked the prospect as he predicted a Republican would win the White House in 2024.
“And I wonder who it will be,” he offered. “Who, who, who will be? I wonder.”
It is unclear, however, how hungry he would be for another Trump term, even in the room of staunch supporters.
The annual science poll of the conference, unscientific, of just over 1,000 attendees, found that 97% approved of Trump’s work as president. But they were much more ambiguous when asked if he should run again, with only 68% saying so.
If the 2024 primaries were held today and Trump was in the race, only 55% said they would vote for him, followed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis with 21%. Without Trump on the field, DeSantis garnered 43% support, followed by 8% for South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, and 7% for former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Texas Senator Ted Cruz.
Although he no longer has the megaphone on social media after being excluded from Twitter and Facebook, Trump had returned to public life even before the speech. He called on conservative media after the death of radio star Rush Limbaugh and issued statements, including one of Mitch McConnell’s blasts after Senate Republican leader excorités Trump for inciting the Capitol revolt. McConnell has since said he would “absolutely” support Trump if he were the Republican Party candidate in 2024.
At his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, Trump has also met quietly with aides and senior party leaders as he builds his post-presidential political operation. While he has already backed several pro-Trump candidates, including one challenging an impeachment advocate, aides have been working this past week to develop benchmarks for those seeking his endorsement to make sure candidates are serious and have established full-fledged political and fund-raising organizations before they get involved.
They are also planning a new super PAC that could raise unlimited money, although one aide warned that they were still deciding whether to create a new entity or reuse an existing super PAC in America First.
Trump hinted at Sunday’s effort, expressing his commitment to helping elect Republicans and calling on attendees to join.
“I stand before you to declare that the incredible journey we have begun together … is far from over,” he said.