Trump’s triumphant return to CPAC

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md.—After snubbing the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) a year ago, President Donald Trump returned Friday to claim his spoils.

Standing before a packed auditorium of conservative activists, Trump moved the audience to laughter, applause, and ecstatic chanting in a 49-minute performance.

“I would have come last year, but I was worried that I would be, at that time, too controversial,” Trump said.

Instead of facing a gathering of conservatives who had not coalesced around him, Trump decided to cancel and schedule campaign events in Kansas and Florida. In a statement from his campaign, Trump thanked CPAC for the invite but looked “forward to returning next year, hopefully as president of the United States.”

Trump began his address downplaying his doubters and blaming media outlets for creating fake news to mischaracterize his administration.

“They’re very smart, they’re very cunning, they’re very dishonest,” Trump said.

Trump bemoaned publications’ reliance on unnamed sources and garnered explosive applause in the main ballroom at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center for calling CNN the “Clinton News Network.”

Trump then moved to familiar talking points. He spoke about his plans to secure the U.S. southern border and prosecute illegal immigrants. Trump vowed to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act and eradicate the world of radical Islamic terrorism.

The president claimed to have a new vision for America: “The core conviction of our movement is that we are a nation that will put its own citizens first.”

CPAC attendees said they were ready to buy in to Trump’s presidency this year.

“He’s not a conservative,” said Tim Goeglein, a Roanoke College student. “But he’s given us a chance to grow our movement.”

One of Goeglein’s classmates, Chris Hamilton, told me he was glad to experience Trump in person.

“It was nice to see what he actually has to say instead of what the media says he said,” Hamilton said.

Joan Dougherty from New Jersey supported Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, for president until Trump was the last man standing. She said Trump was not a “true conservative” like Cruz is, but he united Americans by addressing the issues they cared about.

“It might be an old-fashioned value, but I believe we need to stand together,” Dougherty said. “If he does half of what he says, really, that would be wonderful because we’re at a crossroads right now.”

Trump walked off stage with a fist raised in the air as the Rolling Stones’ “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” echoed throughout the auditorium.

“One by one we’re checking off the promises we made to the people of the United States,” he said. “One by one. And we will not stop until it’s done.”