Criticism of Joe Biden’s administration, the Chinese surveillance balloon, attacks on transgender Americans and “wokeness” are recurrent themes at a four-day gathering for right-wing activists and GOP officials from across the US at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference, or CPAC.
In a joint appearance, Ted Cruz and JD Vance elevated the “lab leak” theory concerning the origins of Covid-19 and raged against Dr Anthony Fauci as the crowd chanted “lock him up”. Other panelists repeatedly returned to familiar right-wing grievances and took aim at fentanyl overdoses and immigration, waged anti-trans attacks, and criticised the “liberal media,” with several panelists joking about “hunting the media for sport.”
Donald Trump will be Saturday night’s headliner once again, seeking to re-establish his grip over the Republican Party. Meanwhile, American Conservative Union chair Matt Schlapp, whose organisation runs the conference and who has served as a key figure elevating the former president and his movement, faces accusations of sexual misconduct from a former Republican campaign aide.
