Former President Donald Trump will declare that his political career is “far from over” during his Sunday speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), excerpts from his speech reviewed by Daily Caller show.
The prepared remarks the Caller reviewed do not include an outright declaration of a 2024 White House run like some have predicted, but it should be noted that Trump has frequently spoken off-script throughout his political career. (RELATED: Trump Advisers Say The Former President Is Preparing To Circle The GOP Wagons)
“I stand before you today to declare that the incredible journey we began together four years ago is far from over,” Trump is expected to say. “We are gathered this afternoon to talk about the future — the future of our movement, the future of our party, and the future of our beloved country.”
Written excerpts of Trump’s remarks, provided to the Caller by sources close to Trump and familiar with his post-White House office, show the former president criticizing President Joe Biden’s first month in office but primarily focusing on his own administration’s accomplishments — including “standing up to China” — and addressing the future of the Republican Party.
Outgoing US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump address guests at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on January 20, 2021. – President Trump and the First Lady travel to their Mar-a-Lago golf club residence in Palm Beach, Florida, and will not attend the inauguration for President-elect Joe Biden. (Photo by ALEX EDELMAN/AFP via Getty Images)
In particular, Trump will paint Biden’s “radical” immigration reforms as not “just illegal — they are immoral, they are heartless, and they are a betrayal of our nation’s core values.”
He will also call on Biden to “immediately” stop caving to teachers’ unions and reopen the nation’s public schools.
“The future of the Republican Party is as a party that defends the social, economic, and cultural interests and values of working American families — of every race, every color, and every creed. Republicans believe that the needs of everyday citizens must come first,” Trump will state. “The Republican Party is united. The only division is between a handful of Washington DC establishment political hacks, and everybody else all over the country.”
The White House was repeatedly asked this past week about Trump’s CPAC speech, which will mark his first public address since leaving office on January 20, but press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters that the president will not focus on Trump’s remarks.
“The president’s view is that we’ve spent a whole lot of time — not we, but in this briefing room — talking about President Trump over the last few years. I guess for good reason. He was president,” she said during Tuesday’s press briefing. “[Biden’s] view is we’re going to spend the time focusing about the American people, and our objective is to help them and our commitment to helping them, so I wouldn’t say he’s thought a lot about the president, former president’s visit. You know, I was going to say ‘performance.’ Maybe that’s appropriate at CPAC.”
Outgoing US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump address guests at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on January 20, 2021. – President Trump and the First Lady travel to their Mar-a-Lago golf club residence in Palm Beach, Florida, and will not attend the inauguration for President-elect Joe Biden. (Photo by ALEX EDELMAN/AFP via Getty Images)
The former president’s aides previously told the Caller that he is also beginning to build out the vetting process for potential endorsements in the 2022 midterm elections. Trump had previously vowed to primary Republican lawmakers who voted both to certify the election results Jan. 6 and to impeach and convict him in February.
Senior advisor Jason Miller added that Trump’s office would soon put out an official schedule of the former president’s upcoming political meetings, including with lawmakers seeking his endorsement in the midterms.
Trump’s speech is currently slated to begin at 3:40 p.m. ET on Sunday. You can watch it live here.
Former President Trump speaks at #CPAC #CPAC2021 – LIVE at 3:30pm ET on C-SPAN https://t.co/5jjlXkbWj8 pic.twitter.com/8FPYZeIzA0
— CSPAN (@cspan) February 28, 2021