GRAPEVINE, Texas (AP) — For the first time in nearly a decade, President Donald Trump did not attend one of the biggest annual meetings of conservatives. But even in his absence, the Conservative Political Action Conference revolved around him.
There were disagreements over his war with Iran, pride over his immigration crackdown and lots of encouragement to avoid infighting as the Republican Party faces a difficult midterm election.
It was a contrast with last year’s gathering, when conservatives were riding high after Trump’s return to office and Elon Musk waved a chain saw to symbolize his new role leading the Department of Government Efficiency.
Here’s a look at some of the key moments.
‘Save that for the socialists’
From the conference’s opening moments, speaker after speaker appealed for unity.
“They want us divided,” warned Mercedes Schlapp, a senior fellow at CPAC whose husband, Matt, chairs the organization.
Evangelist Franklin Graham said the war with Iran represents a “critical time for our country.”
“We can discuss our differences, but do it with respect without attacking and tearing down the other person,” he said. “Save that for the socialists.”
Conservative influencer Benny Johnson said he was “well aware” of debates within the conservative movement but said Trump’s supporters should focus on his victories, such as tighter border security.
“I want to establish something very clearly here that your enemy is not the people that you have good-faith disagreements with inside your movement,” he said. “Your enemy is the Marxist, and they’re going to be running against us hard in the midterms and in 2028.”
Warnings about war
It was clear, however, that the conservative movement was not on the same page about the war with Iran. While there was little criticism of Trump, some warned against deepening the conflict.
“A ground invasion of Iran will make our country poorer and less safe. It will mean higher gas prices, higher food prices, and I’m not sure we would end up killing more terrorists than we would create,” said former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz.
Steve Bannon, a longtime Trump ally, said that “the decision in going forward is obviously the commander in chief’s,” but he suggested that the American people still need to be convinced.
“You have to be convinced that this is the right thing to do, particularly now that we’re on the eve of potentially the insertion of American combat troops,” he said. “Your sons, daughters, granddaughters, grandsons could be on Kharg Island or holding a beachhead down by the Strait of Hormuz. ”
Recent polling from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research shows that Trump risks frustrating his voters if gas prices continue rising as the country faces the kind of prolonged war in the Middle East that he promised to avoid.
‘Make Iran great again’
Exiled Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi told the gathering he was ready to lead a new Iranian government and would call on the country’s citizens to rise up when the “right moment arrives.”
Pahlavi is the son of the shah, a monarch deposed in 1979 when the Islamic theocracy came to power.
He hasn’t lived in Iran for five decades, but was interrupted several times by enthusiastic applause and cheers. He praised Trump for attacking Iran, and suggested that the country could one day be a U.S. ally.
“Can you imagine Iran going from death to America to God bless America?” he said.
“President Trump is making America great again,” Pahlavi said. “I intend to make Iran great again.”
Hundreds of Iranian Americans attended the conference and frequently had impromptu pro-war demonstrations, chanting “thank you, Trump!”
Applause for immigration crackdown
Trump’s handling of immigration got some of the biggest applause at the conference, and one of the special guests included recently retired Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino. He had led high-profile urban crackdowns but was pushed aside after two protesters were killed by federal agents in Minneapolis.
Bovino briefly came onstage during Benny Johnson’s speech. The actor Dean Cain also shook Bovino’s hand.
Tom Homan, Trump’s border czar who took over for Bovino in Minnesota, was also at the conference. He drew cheers when he said Trump wouldn’t walk away from his deportation campaign.
“I don’t care if people hate me,” he said.
Trump reshaping prosecutions, media
Top administration officials made clear Trump’s ambitions for reshaping the country.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said more than 200 people who participated in investigations of the president were fired, retired or quit.
“President Trump, for the first time in modern history, has said, ‘I am the president,’” said Blanche, who previously worked as Trump’s defense attorney. “And if you work in the executive branch, you work for me.”
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr emphasized the president’s influence over the media, pointing to PBS and NPR being defunded and praising the departure of people like Stephen Colbert, whose show will end in May.
“President Trump is taking on the fake news media, and President Trump is winning,” he said.
Straw poll results
Every year, CPAC conducts a straw poll as an informal measure of conservatives’ sentiments.
Asked who they wanted as Republicans’ presidential nominee in 2028, Vice President JD Vance finished first with 53% support. Secretary of State Marco Rubio was second with 35%. No other potential candidate surpassed 2% support. (Trump, who has mused about serving a third term despite constitutional limits, was not listed as an option.)
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton got CPAC’s endorsement in the U.S. Senate runoff on May 26, when he’s facing incumbent Sen. John Cornyn.
CPAC goes global
As in previous years, CPAC leaned into its relationships overseas.
The conference featured international speakers like Polish President Karol Nawrocki and former British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who announced the first British CPAC in July.
Conservatives from Australia, Brazil Germany, Hungary and Japan also appeared on stage to say they’re developing or working to put on similar conferences in their nations.
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Catalini reported from Morrisville, Pennsylvania.