Members of the Republican faithful are gathering in Dallas on Saturday for the final day of the Conservative Political Action Conference, or CPAC, the annual event known for high-profile appearances from the most prominent figures in the MAGA movement. And while celebrations of President Trump’s agenda have been front and center, missing from the lineup this year was the president himself. Instead of closing out the multi-day conference with a rally-type address akin to previous years, Trump skipped CPAC this year for the first time in a decade.
His absence comes at a tense moment in his second term. Saturday marks one month since the U.S. began strikes against a move that has caused divides within the president’s historically loyal base. While some high-profile conservatives like Tucker Carlson and Megyn Kelly have been vocal critics of the war, Hadley’s view is consistent with many Republicans right now. A recent survey by Pew Research Center found nearly eight in 10 Republicans approve of Trump’s handling of the war.
