Former US President Donald Trump demonstrated his popularity with the right-wing base with an acclaimed performance at the Conservative Conference CPAC. On Saturday (local time) at the meeting near Washington in front of thousands of listeners, the Republican attacked his successor Joe Biden, but also parts of his own party – and presented himself as the best candidate for the 2024 presidential election. In view of the Ukraine conflict, he warned of a ” Third World War”.
“We will defeat the Democrats,” said Trump in his speech, which lasted around three quarters of an hour. “We will kick Joe Biden out of the White House.” The audience responded to Trump’s statement “We will finish what we started” with calls for “four more years” of Trump in the White House.
Trump said he was the only candidate who could save the US from the “warmonger” Democrats and the “fanatics and fools” in the Republican ranks. US citizens are in an “epic fight to save our country from people who hate it and want to destroy it completely,” the 76-year-old right-wing populist said. Voters are tired of “political dynasties” among Democrats and Republicans, “China-loving politicians” and supporters of “endless foreign wars”.
“We’re going to have a third world war if something doesn’t happen quickly,” Trump said in part of his speech criticizing US aid to Ukraine. “I am the only candidate who can make this promise: I will prevent World War III.”
Trump was the undisputed star at the Conservatives Conference that started on Wednesday. In a poll of CPAC participants who they would vote for in the 2024 Republican primary for president, Trump came in first by a wide margin. The 76-year-old received 62 percent of the vote, with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis coming in second with 20 percent.
Former UN ambassador Nikki Haley, who announced her candidacy for the presidency in mid-February and spoke at CPAC on Friday, received just three percent. When her name was mentioned, there was some booing from the audience. The survey is considered a kind of heart rate monitor for the mood at the base, but is not representative.
DeSantis stayed away from CPAC that year. He has not yet announced a presidential bid, but the move is expected in the coming months. The 44-year-old governor has long been considered the Republican most dangerous to Trump.
With thousands in attendance, CPAC is the largest annual gathering of the right-wing camp in the United States. It is organized by the conservative lobby organization American Conservative Union, the first meeting took place in 1974.
Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro also attended this year’s meeting at a conference center in Maryland, just outside Washington. The right-wing politician repeatedly received thunderous applause during his speech on Saturday, including when he railed against mandatory corona vaccination. Bolsonaro described his relationship with Trump as “simply extraordinary”.
Trump announced a new presidential bid last November. He still enjoys great popularity among the conservative base. However, many party representatives would rather go into the 2024 presidential election with another candidate than with the highly controversial ex-head of state, who alienates many centrist voters.
Leading Republicans are blaming Trump for the party’s poor performance in last November’s midterms, known as the midterms — and fear Trump as the presidential nominee could hurt their chances of retaking the White House in 2024.
