The 2026 gathering in Texas notably lacked several high-profile speakers, including President Donald Trump and other GOP leaders.
, a change from the usual gathering in National Harbor, Maryland, notably lacked several high-profile speakers, including White House officials or congressional leaders. It also lacked a large contingent of young people.
“I think that maybe it’s for an older audience,” Josiah Baker, 16, from Richmond, Georgia. “I think it’s harder for people my age to come like, by themselves and whatnot, if they’re not with a group of people like I am.” Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche participates in a fireside chat with Matt Schlapp at CPAC in Grapvine, Texas. That perception was echoed by Hayden Harms, a 21-year-old student at Dallas Baptist University from Amarillo, Texas, who described CPAC as increasingly disconnected from younger conservatives. “A lot of people that hold my views would never come to this, because this is for the establishment,” Harms said, arguing that many in his generation are engaging with politics outside traditional GOP spaces. Many attendees at CPAC were of the Baby Boomer generation or were the eldest of the Gen X cohort. In contrast,“This is both of our first times coming to CPAC,” added Ben Wilson, 19, from Orange, Connecticut, and a friend of O’Brien. “We kind of seem like we’re the odd ones out, more or less, because, again, yeah, there’s not too many young college students, at least from what I’ve seen.” Others pointed to more practical reasons for the drop-off. Max Cohen, a 22-year-old entrepreneurship student originally from Indiana and now living in Tampa, said cost and timing played a major role.“Everything’s expensive … Money was a big thing, and timing was a big thing too,” Cohen said, noting the conference’s proximity to midterm exams and spring break. Still, he acknowledged a broader issue: “The biggest thing is the marketing and reaching on social media.”“I don’t really support the war in Iran. I don’t think it’s up to us to really police the world,” said O’Brien. “And I think I feel like many college kids share that same opinion.” That frustration extended beyond college-aged attendees. Matthew Kingston, 26, of Lubbock, Texas, said the conflict runs counter to what many Trump voters expected. “I personally don’t think we should be getting involved in Iran – this is definitely not what I was voting for when I voted Trump,” Kingston said. “I really want this to end soon.” “This was supposed to be America first, not Israel first,” he added. “I support Israel, but not at the expense of the American people.” Leeroy Ellis, a 42-year-old small business owner from Huntsville, North Carolina, struck a more mixed tone, supporting limited action but opposing a prolonged conflict. “Not a fan of what’s happening overseas right now. I hope Trump can reverse course before too much damage is done,” Ellis said. “I didn’t have a problem with a strike that took out the Ayatollah, but I don’t think we should have long-term military involvement.”“This is something that does not benefit Americans directly,” he said. “Why are we having to maybe put boots on the ground … if there’s no imminent nuclear threat to us? Mariah Bader, a 23-year-old law student from the University of Wisconsin, said divisions over Iran are helping keep younger voters away from CPAC altogether. “It seems like there is a little bit of a divide in the MAGA movement that is preventing quite a few young people from coming,” Bader said. “Rather than coming and talking… they’re just deciding not to show up.” Bader supported U.S. involvement in Iran, arguing the stakes were too high to avoid action. “Personally, I think that going to war is something that we needed to do in this instance,” she said, citing concerns over nuclear weapons.Young voters also predicted significant political fallout for Republicans, warning that the party could lose control of either the House or the Senate during the November midterm elections. “In the midterms, I think the GOP is going to get destroyed,” Harms said, arguing the party is “on its last leg” unless it adapts to a new generation of voters.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Persians at CPAC push for Reza Pahlavi as Tehran’s next leader amid Iran warDespite support for the son of Iran's exiled shah, President Donald Trump has previously said that he wants someone else to take over.
Read more »
CPAC 2026 — Trump's war on Iran tests MAGA movement's 'America First' creedFor most attendees at Republicans' annual Conservative Political Action Conference, Trump deserves benefit of doubt and war against Tehran will be acceptable as long as it is fought quickly.
Read more »
CPAC 2026 cools on Trump 2028 campaignCPAC attendees are pushing for younger Republicans not named President Donald Trump to run for the White House in 2028.
Read more »
Top moments from the 2026 CPAC conference in TexasPresident Donald Trump did not attend one of the biggest yearly meetings of conservatives for the first time in nearly a decade. But even in his absence, the Conservative Political Action Conference revolved around him.
Read more »
XRP Faces Historically Bullish April: Can New Month Deliver 24% Gain in 2026?XRP closes March at $1.38, but price history points to a massive shift. With a 24.8% average gain in April, can 2026's Ripple and ETF news trigger a repeat of the bull run?
Read more »
Rifts over Iran, but unity for Trump: Takeaways from CPAC 2026Members of the MAGA faithful gathered in Texas for the annual Conservative Political Action Conference. While tensions over Iran split some attendees, Trump remained the glue holding them together.
Read more »