Former President Donald Trump has penned in his next appearance and speech at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference, breaking former President Ronald Reagan’s seemingly unbeatable record string of 13.
“President Trump will break the Reagan record by appearing at our major conference for a 14th time,” said Matt Schlapp, the chairman of CPAC.
“Thanks Mr. President #47,” Schlapp said with a reference to how Trump, the 45th president, would be the 47th president elected should he beat President Joe Biden, No. 46, in the fall elections.
CPAC takes place Feb. 21-24 at the Gaylord National Harbor Resort & Convention Center, which sits on the Capital Beltway and just up the Potomac River from George Washington’s Mount Vernon plantation.
Reagan attended the conferences long before they became the flashy stage for conservative superstars that it is now. The conference gave Reagan a chance to meet with conservative youth and discuss ideas. The conference’s major dinner is called the Ronald Reagan Dinner. This year, former GOP candidate Vivek Ramaswamy is the speaker.
Trump started the same way as Reagan at the conferences, but he has turned his appearances into major headline events and images, such as when he hugged the American flag in 2019 and 2020.
Just a month ago, Schlapp and CPAC endorsed Trump’s bid to win back the presidency.
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Schlapp told us Friday: “This is a big deal. America is falling apart, and it has become clear that one man can get us back on track. Donald Trump will break Reagan’s record appearing at 14 national conferences, even though the South Carolina primary is the same weekend. President Trump has earned the loyalty of the grass roots because he shows up and never forgets who is there for him. It’s why he will be our 47th president.”
The list of confirmed speakers at the conference is already loaded with well-known conservatives and lawmakers. They include former British Prime Minister Liz Truss, possible Trump running mate Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY), and top conservative talker Mark Levin.