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Donald Trump, the former American president, was to mark his attempt at a political return on Sunday by denouncing Joe Biden for “the most disastrous first month of all presidents in modern history”.
Trump was due to make his first speech since leaving the White House at the right-wing Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Orlando, Florida, where a warm welcome was guaranteed.
The twice-impeached ex-president was set to unleash pent-up frustration after two months of social media silence – he was banned by Facebook and Twitter for inflammatory comments – and just a handful of TV interviews.
According to excerpts shared with the Guardian by Trump’s post-presidential office, he planned to make clear his intention to remain a political force by stating: “I stand before you today to declare that the incredible journey we have begun together four years ago is far from over. “
“We all knew the Biden administration was going to be bad – but none of us imagined how bad they would be, and how far they would go … Joe Biden has had the most disastrous first month of all presidents modern. the story.
He added, “Biden’s sweeping immigration policies are not just illegal – they are immoral, they are heartless, and they are a betrayal of our nation’s core values.”
Trump also intended to call on Biden to reopen schools despite lingering safety fears from the coronavirus pandemic. And planned to present himself as the standard-bearer of a Republican party that defends “American working-class families – of all races, colors and creeds.”
The former president was to invoke his nationalist “America First” agenda by insisting: “We believe in standing up to China, shutting down outsourcing, bringing our factories and supply chains back and doing so America, not China, dominates the future. “
Despite the recent bipartisan vote in his impeachment trial, where he escaped conviction, Trump says the Republican Party is “united,” according to the excerpts. “The only divide is between a handful of Washington DC establishment political hacks and everyone across the country.”
Most commentators expect the 74-year-old Trump to leave open the possibility of him running for re-election in 2024 without making a definitive pledge. He remained an imminent presence at CPAC, with speakers after speakers pledging loyalty to him and his “Make America great again” program, while a golden calf-style idol in his image even paraded through convention halls. .
Many speakers and panels also indulged in and promoted Trump’s cheeky lie that the election was stolen from him. Mike Lindell, the chief executive of MyPillow who faces a $ 1.3 billion defamation lawsuit from a voting machine maker for his bogus conspiracy theories, was seen giving media interviews during of the event.
Matt Schlapp, president of the American Conservative Union, which leads the conference, said, “CPAC is your first chance to see what really happened on election day. And there was widespread electoral fraud in far too many states, especially in large cities ruled by the Democratic machine. It is a fact and we have provided you with evidence to underscore this fact.
Tom Fitton, chairman of right-wing group Judicial Watch, told attendees: “On election day, President Trump had the votes to win the presidency. These vote totals have been changed due to an unprecedented and extraordinary count after Election Day. Judicial Watch has long warned of the chaos and increased risk of fraud associated with recklessly sending out 100 million ballots and requests to vote.
These claims have been proven to be false on several occasions. Postal voting has increased due to the coronavirus pandemic, but state officials, including Republicans, have not reported any significant irregularities. The former president and his allies have lost more than 60 court challenges, including those weighed by judges appointed by Trump. Trump’s own attorney general William Barr has dismissed the fraud claims.
Despite all the talk about party unity, CPAC was notable for the absence of former Vice President Mike Pence, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and other prominent Republicans.
On Sunday, Bill Cassidy, a Republican senator from Louisiana, insisted that CPAC does not represent the entire Republican Party. “Now if we plan to win [midterm elections in] 2022 and [the presidential election] in 2024, we need to listen to voters, not just those who really like President Trump, but also those who may be less sure about him, ”he told CNN’s State of the Union program. “If we idolize a person, we will lose. And it’s been pretty clear since the last election.
Watchdog Accountable.US condemned CPAC for putting Trump on a pedestal despite his role in inciting an insurgency on the U.S. Capitol on Jan.6. Kyle Herrig, President of Accountable.US, said, “When Donald Trump receives a heroic welcome at CPAC, it will be the largest gathering of sedition supporters since the Capitol Riot itself.
“The more evidence there is of Trump’s guilt, the more conservative leaders rally behind him. Trump lit the insurgency match, and CPAC leaders would obviously prefer to keep stoking the fire for as long as possible.
Returning to the conference earlier, Robert Unanue, Managing Director of Goya Foods, told attendees: “It’s just an honor to be here. But my greatest honor today will be that – I think we’re going to be on the same stage – as, in my opinion, the real, legitimate, and still current President of the United States, Donald J. Trump.
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