Conservatives are holding one of their largest annual gatherings as President Donald Trump faces a tough moment and a growing rift over the war in Iran.
The debate will be a subtext — and likely flare publicly — as thousands of activists, influencers and Republican lawmakers gather at the Conservative Political Action Conference that begins Wednesday outside Dallas.
.one year ago where Trump, newly returned to office, vowed to “forge a new and lasting political majority” and Elon Musk wielded a chainsaw to symbolize how the administration was slashing the government workforce and red tape. This year, neither Trump nor Vice President JD Vance has been publicly announced as speaking to the gathering. But among those who are slated to speak are big names in the MAGA movement who have voiced conflicting views on the Iran war. "This is obviously going to be a hot topic,” said John Gizzi, a CPAC veteran and columnist for the conservative media outlet Newsmax, who noted the possibility of greater U.S. involvement over an uncertain length of time.Among the featured speakers scheduled at the four-day event is longtime Trump ally Steve Bannon. Bannon said during his War Room podcast this month that should the war become “a hard slog," it could cost the GOP conservative voters ahead of the midterms.Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, who supports the war, also is on the agenda at the Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center. “I think President Trump was exactly right to act to protect Americans,” Cruz said last week in a CBS News interview. Former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz’s scheduled speaking slot is a reminder of the disagreement among some conservatives about the U.S. military alliance with Israel against Iran. Gaetz, host of a show on the conservative One America News Network, has said the U.S. has been too cozy with Israel as popular conservative personalities such as Tucker Carlson have challenged conservatives’ longtime bond with the country, prompting criticism from GOP groups, including pro-Israel Republicans, of antisemitism. Others scheduled to speak include Trump border czar Tom Homan and former Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley, who is running for the U.S. Senate in North Carolina.A year after Trump presided over the group's jubilant conference upon his return to office, he is in a much different place.. His signature domestic policy, aimed at tightening voting rules ahead of November's midterm elections, has stalled in a Congress his party controls, while the House Republican majority is in jeopardy and the party's hold on the Senate is less certain than a year ago. Despite the dividing lines, Trump enjoys enduring approval from his party’s right flank. Eighty-six percent of conservatives said they approved of the president’s job performance in a February AP-NORC poll. And while Trump's supporters remain devoted, some within the most conservative circles say division over Iran could signal trouble for Republicans in November. Texas Rep. Steve Toth, who plans to attend CPAC, suggested Trump’s support remains robust among conservatives, but that Republican messaging on the war could be stronger.Rep. Dan Crenshaw in Texas’ March 3 primary. “I don’t know that we’re doing a great job at communicating the full ramifications.”Another stark reminder of the contrast with last year is Texas'sTexas Attorney Gen. Ken Paxton, who is challenging four-term GOP Sen. John Cornyn, not only is attending the event, but has one of the event's premier speaking roles, the Ronald Reagan Dinner on Friday evening. Cornyn is not attending the Texas conference. Trump said three weeks ago he would soon endorse one of them after Paxton finished narrowly behind Cornyn in the March 3 primary, though neither received a majority to avoid a May 26 runoff. Trump implored whoever didn't get the endorsement to drop out, writing in a social media post that the bitter contest “cannot, for the good of the Party, and our Country, itself, be allowed to go on any longer.” The deadline for candidates to remove their names from the May 26 runoff ballot passed last week, as Paxton and Cornyn were launching stepped-up attack ads targeting one another.Catalini reported from Morrisville, Pennsylvania. Associated Press writer Amelia Thomson DeVeaux in Washington contributed to this report. Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. 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Elon Musk Michael Whatley Ted Cruz John Gizzi Dan Crenshaw Tom Homan Politics Washington News Ronald Reagan JD Vance Ken Paxton Tucker Carlson Steve Toth Donald Trump Stephen Bannon
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