President Donald Trump, in his first post-presidential speech on February 28, 2021, pledged to a crowd at a major conservative conference that their journey with him is “far from being over” and slammed the immigration and other policies of President Joe Biden, accusing Biden of having a “disastrous first month.”
Trump also made news by firmly ruling out creating a new party. Rather, he appeared to be attempting to cement his standing as the leader of the Republican Party. In many ways, Trump’s speech at the Conservative Political Action Convention (CPAC) resembled a campaign stump speech.
You can watch video of the speech later in this article.
Trump stopped short of announcing that he will run again in 2024, but he indicated it’s possible. “Who knows, I might even decide to beat them for a third time,” Trump said of Democrats during the talk to CPAC in Orlando, Florida. Trump said that “Trumpism” means “great trade deals.”
He slammed Biden for creating what Trump called a “sanctuary nation” and called on him to get the nation’s schools open.
“None of us even imagined how bad they would be and how far left they would go,” Trump said of Biden. “His campaign was all lies.”
Biden has had the most “disastrous first month of any president in modern history,” said Trump, saying Biden is anti-jobs, anti-border, anti-women, anti-science, and more. “In just one short month, we have gone from America first to America last.:
He accused Biden of misleading voters during presidential debates about Biden’s own views, saying, “He didn’t know what the hell he was talking about actually.”
Added Trump: “I stand before you today to declare that the incredible journey we’ve begun together, we went through a journey like no one else.. never been a journey so successful… we began it four years ago, and it is far from being over.”
“We’re in the middle of a historic struggle for America’s future… our identity as Americans is at stake,” he said.
He said powerful interests “want to silence us… we will be victorious and America will be stronger and greater.” He said people were gathered to talk about the future of the Republican Party.
The major conservative gathering was, to some degree, a referendum on whether Trump will define the Republican Party’s future. Although Trump received some positive mentions during the convention, he didn’t dominate it until the final day, and other prospective 2024 GOP candidates – such as Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem – also seemed to be positioning as his heirs apparent during their CPAC speeches. However, there was no shortage of Trump fans on site, and one artist even rolled a golden Trump statue into the Hyatt where the convention was being held. Prominent anti Trumpers, such as Mitt Romney, were not on the slate of speakers, who focused on policy questions ranging from economics to foreign policy. Cancel culture was the theme of the convention, which moved to Orlando from Washington D.C. due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Here’s what you need to know:
Trump Declared Outright, ‘I’m Not Starting a New Party’
Trump quashed media speculation that he was planning to create a third party.
“I am not starting a new party,” Trump said, adding that the Republican Party would be more united than ever before. He said “we’re not interested in that.”
At another point, he said, “I’m going to continue to fight right by your side. We will do what we’ve done right from the beginning, which is to win. We’re not starting new parties.”
He claimed he’s “more popular than anybody,” citing a CPAC straw poll that measured attendees’ attitudes about him.
“We will be united like never before,” he said, adding that he would oppose “socialism,” which he said “leads to Communism.”
Trump’s pollster, who is also a Washington Times pollster, released the results of a CPAC straw poll right before the president’s talk. The straw poll found that 95% of people polled want to continue Trump’s policies and agenda, and 68% want him to run for president again in 2024. If the election was held today, 55% would vote for Trump, 21% for DeSantis, and the rest spread out among other candidates. Without Trump, DeSantis led the way with 43%, Noem had 11%, and Donald Trump Jr. scored 8 percent. Trump had a 97% job approval rating in the straw polls. Trump Jr. also spoke at the convention.
Trump Slammed Biden’s Immigration Policies & Predicted Democrats Will Lose the White House in Four Years
GettySupporters of former US President Donald Trump cheer for his arrival outside of a hotel where the Conservative Political Action Conference 2021 (CPAC) is being held in Orlando, Florida on February 28, 2021.
Trump slammed Biden’s immigration policies. He said “some rough customers were entering our country.” He said Biden turned the border into a crisis.
“Joe Biden has triggered a massive flood of illegal immigration into our country of the likes we’ve never seen before,” said Trump.
He alleged that Biden has restored “catch and release.”
He said Biden has failed in “enforcing America’s laws,” and as a result he said the Democrats “will lose the White House decisively in four years from now.” He also predicted Democratic losses during the midterm elections.
He said Biden was making America into a “sanctuary nation.”
Trump also slammed Biden for “anti-science” decisions to keep schools closed. “Joe Biden sold out America’s children to the teacher’s unions,” said Trump.
He also mocked Biden over the COVID-19 vaccine, saying Biden “forgot” about getting it himself.
“We believe in law and order,” he said, calling the men and women of law enforcement “heroes.”
Trump added, “We don’t believe in defunding the police.” He said conservatives reject “cancel culture.”
Trump said the election was “rigged.”