Dominic Taylor-
Donald Trump made his first post-presidential speech at the weekend, using the occasion to continue his false allegations that the 2020 election was rigged, dropping signs he may run for president in 2024.
At the packed annual gathering of Conservatives in Florida, Trump criticised immigrants, Joe Biden and the media.
Trump said “illegal aliens and dead people are voting” and that “this election was rigged and the supreme court and other courts didn’t want to do anything about it”.
There are doubts as to whether Trump will be the GOP’s 2024 nominee for president, though even if elected to lead the Republican party, most political analysts do not expect him to be successful.
The insurrection he incited on January 6 is a big stain to the success of his political future.
onald Trump made his first post-presidential speech at the weekend, using the occasion to continue to peddle lies abut a “rigged” 2020 election and hint at a 2024 run for president. He covered familiar ground, lashing out at immigrants, Joe Biden and the media, as he spoke at the largest annual gathering of conservatives in Florida for the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC).
Trump said “illegal aliens and dead people are voting” and that “this election was rigged and the supreme court and other courts didn’t want to do anything about it”.
After roundly criticising the Democrats, he suggested he “may even decide to beat them for a third time”. Trump won a straw poll to be crowned attendees’ choice for the 2024 Republican nomination, but arguably his 55% share of the vote could be seen as fairly low given how vocal many CPAC speakers have been in supporting him.
People celebrate after listening to Trump address the Conservative Political Action Conference in the Hyatt Regency in Orlando, Florida. Begun in 1974, CPAC brings together conservative organizations, activists, and world leaders to discuss issues important to them.
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People celebrate after listening to Trump address the Conservative Political Action Conference in the Hyatt Regency in Orlando, Florida. Begun in 1974, CPAC brings together conservative organizations, activists, and world leaders to discuss issues important to them. Photograph: Joe Raedle/Getty Images
But his speech was not the only thing to raise eyebrows. Thousands of Twitter users drew comparisons between the stage design for the conference and a Norse rune used by the Nazis during the second world war. The conference has proved that the GOP has become the Trump party, argues Robert Reich, standing for nothing except overturning a past election and appealing to no one except the former president’s diehard support base. But he says this could play to Democrats’ strengths, meaning that they simply cannot be a viable opposition.
A Republican senator predicted Trump will not be the GOP’s 2024 nominee for president, referencing the number of seats lost by Republicans in the House and Senate during Trump’s time in office. “If we idolize one person, we will lose,” Bill Cassidy, the Louisiana Republican senator said.
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