Former President Donald Trump will be the keynote speaker at the Conservative Political Action Conference this weekend, his first foray into public speaking since leaving the White House.
Trump is set to address the CPAC gathering on Sunday. The conference is being held in Orlando, Florida, this year, and will host others who were in Trumpβs administration.
One notable exception is former Vice President Mike Pence. Pence declined an invitation to address the group.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem are among those scheduled to speak, according to The Associated Press, as are actor Jon Voight, Donald Trump Jr. and U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert.
Trump, according to a story from Axios, is poised to tell the assembled conservatives that he is the βpresumptive 2024 nominee.β
Axios, citing an unnamed source it claims is a longtime adviser to Trump, says the former presidentβs speech will be a βshow of forceβ with the message being, βI may not have Twitter or the Oval Office, but Iβm still in charge.β
βTrump effectively is the Republican Party,β Trump senior adviser Jason Miller told Axios. βThe only chasm is between Beltway insiders and grassroots Republicans around the country. When you attack President Trump, youβre attacking the Republican grassroots.β
Trumpβs office has not said what he intends to talk about at the annual meeting.
Cox Media Group
