At last year’s Conservative Political Action Conference, former President Donald Trump promised to be the “retribution” of his supporters. Many attendees this year appeared anxious to see what that reelection would entail.
When ABC News queried over a dozen attendees about their ideals for a potential Trump term, a significant number of them instinctively responded that they desired a version of mass firings in the federal government and retaliation against President Joe Biden. Additionally, a considerable number of them advocated for the political exile of Trump’s detractors within the Republican Party.
Using a preferred Trump epithet for Washington, Laura McGarraugh, a nurse from Austin, Texas, stated, “I would like to see him actually drain the swamp.” “I liked Vivek [Ramaswamy]’s idea: fire 70% of the deep state, the people that are government employees.”
As he has admitted, Ramaswamy’s proposal would probably incite legal disputes concerning worker protections.
Trump has both exaggerated and minimized the extent of vengeance he intends to exact on those he perceives as his adversaries should he reclaim the presidency.
In June, the former president declared on social media that he would “appoint a real special ‘prosecutor’ to pursue” Biden and his family, whom he deemed “corrupt,” in addition to “everyone else involved in the destruction of our elections, borders, and nation!”
However, in his address at CPAC on Saturday of this year, Trump echoed campaign rhetoric by stating, “The unprecedented success of the United States of America will be my ultimate and absolute vengeance.”
A small number of attendants pointed out that his shift in tone implied he would not use his authority as a weapon if he were to win in November.
However, Trump also issued a warning on Saturday that if he wins the general election, the day following will “become our new liberation day,” while “it will be their judgment day” for his adversaries and those of his supporters. With some reservations, numerous CPAC attendees advocated for a more scorched earth posture should he retake the presidency.
“If it is justified,” said Vanessa Alban, an Ocean City, Maryland-based housewife. It is evident that certain members of the Biden administration have neglected the nation. Thus, I would advocate for their dismissal.”
Furthermore, although a considerable number of conference attendees held the belief that Trump would prioritize policy, they showed their support for him singling out Biden and his family in relation to unsubstantiated accusations of impropriety and influence seeking—arguments that presently form the core of the impeachment effort led by House Republicans, an endeavor that the White House refutes as partisan.
“I consider it to be very crucial. “They will need to delve into the weeds regarding that,” said Orlando, Florida-based physician Mark Wehrum.”
“I believe charges are coming for him [Biden], and they should,” added Connecticut elementary school retired instructor Sharon Schifflett. “I think he’s compromised.”
Biden has previously refuted the impeachment movement on the grounds that it is politically motivated, stating, “I wake up each day with a task at hand and no intention of addressing impeachment.”
However, the CPAC membership’s desire for vengeance did not end with Biden; many stated that some of the candidates who challenged Trump for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination no longer have a position in the party.
Attendees who spoke with ABC News stated that hard-liner Ramaswamy, whose 2024 campaign was primarily devoted to defending Trump, could still have a place, while Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, whose most formidable primary opponent was the former president for months, could be “rehabilitated.”
However, they ridiculed the notion that former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley, who is clinging to power in the 2024 GOP primary, former New Jersey governor Chris Christie, one of the GOP’s most vocal Trump critics, and former Vice President Mike Pence—who remained loyal as the former president’s No. 2 until he helped certify the 2020 election results in accordance with the Constitution, despite Trump’s insistence otherwise—still had a place in the party.
Jonathan Grier, a physician from Altoona, Pennsylvania, stated, “I believe Haley burned those bridges.” Grier was present at the Ellipse near the White House on January 6, 2021, where Trump delivered a speech but refrained from entering the U.S. Capitol.
“Christie is free to swim in a lake.” No place is available for him. “He is useless,” said Grier. “Pence can go jump in the same lake Christie just jumped into.”
Grier further stated, “Pence is a weasel; he is a serpent in the grass.” Donald was rescued by him when the going grew difficult. And I have no regard for that. “I’m truly sorry, but I simply do not.”
It appeared that both attendees and organizers of CPAC shared this sentiment.
In recent years, the conference has taken pride in its decision to exclude lawmakers with a greater leaning toward establishment-oriented views, such as Utah Republican Sen. Mitt Romney, a former Republican presidential nominee. Speakers occasionally appeared to criticize both fellow Republicans and Democrats for appearing too loyal to Trump and his political philosophy.
When Mike Lindell, the chief executive officer of MyPillow and a well-known election denier, took the stage on Saturday, he was greeted like a rock star. Prior to that, he criticized “uniparty Republicans” for failing to support his unfounded allegations of election fraud and for supporting his effort to recall Republican Wisconsin state House Speaker Robin Vos.
Former President and 2024 presidential hopeful Donald Trump arrives to speak during the annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) meeting on Feb. 24, 2024, in National Harbor, Maryland.
While the approach garnered positive feedback from attendees, with many expressing that they relished CPAC for the opportunity to engage with individuals who shared their views, conservatives who emerged during the pre-Trump Republican Party era criticized the conference and its prevailing atmosphere as unrecognizable.
“CPAC once served as a unifying platform for a diverse range of party members with similar conservative philosophies,” according to Mike DuHaime, a former political director of the Republican National Committee and adviser to Christie’s campaign, which has since been halted.
“Despite divergent viewpoints on certain matters, the majority adhered to [Ronald] Reagan’s adage that “my 80% friend is not my 20% adversary.” “No longer,” DuHaime declared. “Now, if someone is not 100% on board with 100% of Trump’s agenda, personal or policy, you will not be deemed conservative enough.”
A subset of conference attendees advised Trump against prioritizing vengeance and instead urged him to direct his attention towards the nation’s challenges.
Economist Thomas Siens of Fort Worth, Texas, disregarded “all this dictator talk,” citing Trump’s claim that his opponents would be vindicated if he were to win another term. Those who desired a greater emphasis on policy, however, indicated that this was not due to a dearth of potential retaliatory motives. North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina-based retired hay farmer Pat Thomas stated, “I just want him to concentrate on our country and not be preoccupied with vengeance.” “That’ll come in time.”
