That loyalty is likely to be on display at CPAC, which begins Thursday and ends Saturday, the same day millions of Americans are expected to participate in another national “No Kings” day of protest against Trump. On Saturday, Trump is set to speak at Saudi Arabia’s Future Investment Initiative conference in Miami, after Riyadh boosted its commitment to investment in the United States to $1 trillion last year.
This year’s CPAC speeches come in the context of Republicans hoping to retain control of the House and Senate in this November’s midterm elections, in which Texas, this year’s CPAC host, has emerged as a potential battleground. Trump has not yet endorsed a candidate in the May 26 Republican primary runoff for U.S. Senate—an increasingly ugly race between Senator John Cornyn and Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is scheduled to speak at CPAC.
Even without the President, the conference is still set to feature a roster of administration officials and allies, including Border Czar Tom Homan, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, Education Secretary Linda McMahon, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Mehmet Oz, Drug Czar Sara Carter, and special envoy Richard Grenell.
