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Former United States President Donald Trump appeared in public for the first time in months over the weekend, in a keynote speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference, or CPAC.
The speech addressed a variety of topics, from claims of voter fraud and stolen elections, to the status of transgender women in professional sport. As usual, Trump’s claims were filled with exaggerations, outright lies and discriminatory ideas. But if the crowd was anything to go by, many appreciated the address, with multiple cheers and standing ovations occurring throughout.
One of the most important aspects of the speech was Trump’s affirming his commitment to the Republican Party. While rumors circulated of a potential third party lead by Trump, his speech made it abundantly clear that he hoped to remain a pillar of the GOP – including a potential third run for the presidency in 2024.
But this run may not be as popular as his previous ones. While Trump’s policies remain popular, only 68 percent of attendees at the conference want him to run again. As a result, many questions remain over what lies in store for the future of the Republican party, and Trumpism worldwide. In this piece, Ryan Stanton spoke with Brendon O’Conner to tackle these issues.
Produced By: Ryan Stanton
Featured In Story: Brendon O’Conner, Associate Professor at the University of Sydney
First aired on The Wire, Tuesday 2nd March 2021