US President Donald Trump made a triumphant return to the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on Saturday, delivering a speech filled with bold rhetoric and political attacks. Speaking for over an hour, he celebrated his administration’s actions against Biden-era policies while pushing an aggressive right-wing agenda.
Trump’s Strong Stand Against the Left
The CPAC audience welcomed Trump with enthusiasm, including individuals he had pardoned for their involvement in the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack. During his speech, he declared victory over what he called the radical-left establishment. “We have escorted the radical-left bureaucrats out of the building and have locked the doors behind them,” Trump said. “We’ve gotten rid of thousands.” His words echoed his previous declaration at CPAC two years ago: “I am your retribution.”
This year’s CPAC event framed Trump’s re-election as a defining moment in the global rise of conservative movements. Moreover, his speech highlighted his administration’s hardline stance on immigration, boasting about terminating temporary protected status for hundreds of thousands of Haitian immigrants and attempting to end birthright citizenship for children of non-legal permanent residents.
Trump Targets Biden and Political Rivals
Trump did not hold back in his attacks on Joe Biden, accusing him of using the justice system for political persecution. “I ended Joe Biden’s weaponization as soon as I got in. I said, ‘I’m going to hit him with the same stuff,’” he declared. Throughout his 2024 campaign, he had repeatedly vowed to seek revenge against his opponents, a sentiment he reinforced in his CPAC speech.
Furthermore, he asserted, “The fraudsters, liars, cheaters, globalists, and deep-state bureaucrats are being sent packing,” reaffirming his efforts to shrink federal bureaucracy. Towards the end of his address, he also addressed his own legal challenges and ongoing investigations.
Highlighting His Administration’s Early Success
Trump claimed that Democrats had lost their confidence and pushed “the worst policy in history.” Additionally, he touted his administration’s early achievements, boasting, “Nobody has seen four weeks like we’ve had.”
Having appeared at CPAC intermittently since 2011, when he first considered running for the 2012 Republican primary, Trump has used the platform to solidify his standing among conservatives. After losing the 2020 election, he received overwhelming support at CPAC 2021 and used that opportunity to target Republicans who opposed him or challenged his claims about election fraud.
During that event, Trump drew the loudest applause when he vowed to purge the party of dissenters. Similarly, this year’s conference attracted several prominent international conservative figures, including Argentine President Javier Milei, Polish President Andrzej Duda, and British Reform Party leader Nigel Farage. Following his speech, all three leaders praised Trump, further reinforcing his influence on the global conservative movement.
