Former President Trump returned to public light Sunday at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Orlando, making his first public speech since he left office and since he was acquitted in his indictment in the Senate. Trump set out his vision for the Republican Party, called on states to pass new election laws, mocked a possible 2024 race, and criticized President Biden’s first month.
Trump indicated that he will remain active in Republican politics and said his “journey” that began during his first presidency is “far from over.” The former president spread rumors that he was thinking of creating a third party.
“We have the Republican Party. It will unite and be stronger than ever,” Trump said. “Wouldn’t it be brilliant? Let’s start a new game: we split our vote, so you can never win. No, that doesn’t interest us.”
Trump said he believes the Republican Party is united and that party divisions are “among a handful of political pirates from the Washington DC establishment and everyone across the country.” He said he will “actively work” to choose Republicans who embody his vision of the party and told his supporters to support his PAC if they want to help choose the candidates he supports instead of other Republican Party groups.
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“We want Republican leaders who are loyal to voters and who work proudly for the vision I set out today,” Trump said, adding that it includes issues such as supporting the military, promoting “law and order.” , “fantastic” business deals and great education “.
Trump attacked some of his critics, including the seven Republican Party senators who voted to convict him in his impeachment trial. He also called on the 10 House Republicans who voted in favor of his removal, including Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming, whom Trump said was “a person who likes to see our troops fight.” .
“Get rid of everyone,” Trump said of Republicans who supported the ouster.
The results of a straw poll of the conference found that 55% of attendees would vote for Mr. Trump for the Republican candidacy if elections were held today. About 7 out of 10 respondents said they want Trump to run in the next presidential election.
Trump attacked President Biden, saying his successor has had “the most disastrous first month of any president in modern history” and harshly criticized his foreign policy, energy and immigration decisions.
“In just a short month we’ve gone from America first to America last,” Trump said. “There is no better example than the new and horrible crisis on the southern border.”
The former president also called for the reopening of schools and accused the Biden administration of attending to teachers ’unions.
“His insensitive indifference toward working families is equally clear when it comes to the critical issue of getting U.S. children back to school,” Trump said. “It’s the teachers’ union, it’s the votes and it shouldn’t happen.”
Trump’s appearance culminated in a conference that was attended by many Republican party leaders, including potential candidates for the 2024 presidency, who said the former president should continue to play a role in the Republican Party. Several speakers said Republicans should not return to pre-Trump policies.
Attendees erupted in applause after Trump falsely suggested he win the 2020 election and said, “I can even decide to win them for the third time.”
“With your help we will get the House back, we will win the Senate and then a Republican president will come back triumphant in the White House. And I wonder who he will be,” Trump later said.
During the conference there were seven groups on the 2020 elections and some speakers repeated false statements about widespread election fraud. Trump, in his speech, called for an end to the absentee ballot, for strong electoral identification laws, and for elections to take place one day. More than 40 state legislatures have introduced bills that would restrict access to voting, according to the Brennan Justice Center.
“We need electoral integrity and electoral reform immediately,” Trump said. He falsely claimed that the elections were “called” and complained that the Supreme Court “did not have the will or the courage to make the right decision” on a case challenging the election results.
Trump and his allies lost more than 60 court cases after the election, and his own attorney general said there was no evidence of fraud at a level that “could have produced a different outcome in the election.”
Earlier Sunday, Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan, a staunch ally of the former president, said he wants to see Trump run for president again in 2024.
“President Trump is the leader of the Conservative movement. He is the leader of the first American movement. He is the leader of the Republican party,” Jordan said. “And I hope that on January 20, 2025 he will be the leader of our great country again.”