Trump has been a CPAC regular since making his first appearance there in 2011, years before he became a presidential candidate. During Trump’s tenure at the White House, the conference was a four-day celebration of his administration, with appearances by Trump, former Vice President Mike Pence and other top advisers.
Since leaving office, Trump has given several TV interviews on friendly channels and released public statements, but has not yet spoken to an audience. It will be Trump’s first major speech since the Senate impeachment trial, which focused on his role in the January 6 riot.
It will also be the first time that Trump will speak out after launching a scathing multi-page statement following Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.). Trump’s statement – which came after McConnell destroyed the former president’s role in the Capitol insurrection – called the minority leader “a severe, sullen and serious political hack”.
Trump is expected to play an active role in the 2022 midterm elections and has privately told people in the past few days that he is thinking of a 2024 return offer.
Trump’s advisers say the former president is trying to determine exactly how he will engage in the midterm elections, including from a financial point of view. So far, Trump has endorsed a candidate for 2022: former White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who is running for the Arkansas government and is expected to appear on the CPAC.
The CPAC is overseen by longtime Republican strategist Matt Schlapp, whose wife, Mercedes, served as Trump’s employee in the White House.
This year’s conference is attracting a number of potential Republican presidential candidates, including Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley, South Dakota Sen. Kristi Noem, Senator Arkansas Tom Cotton, Texas Senator Ted Cruz and Florida Senator Rick Scott.