Donald Trump vows to ‘save’ US from GOP ‘freaks’

Key points
  • Donald Trump says he can save America from “warmongers” Democrats and “zealots and fools” in the Republican Party.
  • The former president spoke at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC).
  • It comes the day after Mr. Trump released the single in collaboration with the men jailed for the Capitol riot.
Donald Trump upped the ante in the 2024 election on Saturday, warning that he is the only candidate who can save America from Democratic “warmongers” and “fanatics and fools” from the mainstream Republican Party.
Trump told the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) that Americans are “in an epic fight to save our country from people who hate it and want to completely destroy it.”
“We had a Republican Party ruled by freaks, neoconservatives, globalists, open-border fanatics and fools,” he said, naming several mainstream party luminaries.
According to Trump, American voters are tired of “entrenched political dynasties in both parties, rotten special interests, China-loving politicians” and supporters of “endless foreign wars.”

“We’re going to have a third world war if something doesn’t happen quickly,” he warned in a section expressing disapproval of U.S. aid to Ukraine.

“I am the only candidate who can make this promise: I will prevent World War III.”
Mr. Trump spoke for about 100 minutes to complete the four-day CPAC, a short hop down the Potomac River from the nation’s capital, Washington.

The CPAC was until recently America’s premier gathering of conservative thought leaders, but has been entirely absorbed by Trump’s far-right Make America Great Again movement, an event that pundits have recently referred to as “MAGApalooza.”

Who attended the conference?

“We’re going to finish what we started,” Trump said as he took the stage, prompting chants of “Four more years, four more years!”
The 2023 edition featured some of the nation’s most dedicated Trumpists — and even — although many potential 2024 candidates and Republican leadership missed the convention.

The meeting drew fewer people than usual, raising questions about its continued relevance, as many of the speeches were played on empty rows of seats.

Georgia Election Investigation

Former President Donald Trump continues to falsely claim that the 2020 election was stolen from him through massive voter fraud. Source: AARP / AP

But the room was filled when Mr. Trump ran for a second term as he faces charges of trying to steal the 2020 election results with a multi-stage criminal conspiracy that included incitement to rebellion.

He echoed conspiracy theories about electoral fraud and dissatisfaction with law enforcement and “radical left” prosecutors.
The appeal offered to share the screen with the conservative Growth Club’s donor haven in Florida, where most of the Republican establishment fled for the weekend.

At CPAC, vendors sold books, dating apps, and even Wi-Fi services designed specifically for conservatives. Hats, flags, mugs and other merchandise on offer were almost exclusively aimed at Trump supporters.

‘Justice for all’

On Friday, the former president released a single in collaboration with a choir of men who were imprisoned for their crimes.

The single was released through music streaming services titled “Justice for All” by Donald J. Trump and the J6 Prison Choir.

In the song, Trump recites the Pledge of Allegiance to a choir of men singing the Stars and Stripes.
It ends with the singing of “USA, USA”.
In December, a US House of Representatives committee released its final report on the Capitol riots and said Mr. Trump took no action to stop his supporters from attacking the Capitol.

He also accused him of criminally participating in a “multi-part conspiracy” to overturn the election results.

“I am your retribution”

The group of panellists who took the stage at the CPAC ahead of Mr. Trump’s speech sparked an avalanche of conspiracy theories and anti-trans rhetoric as the speakers boasted of their Christian principles.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former Vice President Mike Pence, who lead a group chasing Trump, skipped the event after avoiding the humiliation of booed fans of the former president.

Mr. Trump did not mention either of them by name, confusing analysts’ expectations of attacks against both.
But delegates repeatedly criticized his only declared Republican challenger, Nikki Haley, during and after her appearance at the convention on Friday.
Trump’s former chief strategist Steve Bannon and prominent ally Mike Lindell were treated like royalty as they walked the halls of the National Harbor Convention Center preaching election deniability.
“It’s not going to be a fair election,” Lindell told AFP of the 2024 race.

“But when 90 percent of the people in this country want Donald Trump, he has to win anyway, even in a dishonest election.”

Before Mr. Trump took the stage, it was revealed that he won the straw poll of potential Republican leaders at the convention with 62 percent of the vote, with DeSantis coming in second with 20 percent.
“In 2016, I said: I am your voice. Today I add: I am your warrior. I am your justice. And for those who have been wronged and betrayed: I am your retribution, ”Trump said.

“I will completely destroy the Deep State. I will fire the unelected bureaucrats and shadowy forces that have weaponized our justice system. And I will put the people in charge of this country again.”