STEVE Bannon has vowed to “throw out the trash” in the White House and told Trump supporters “onward to victory” in a firebrand speech at this year’s CPAC in Washington DC.
Speaking at the grassroots Republican event, Donald Trump‘s former White House Chief of Staff rallied the crowd as he closed off this year’s four-day event.
Bannon declared Trump “the greatest US President of the 21st and 20th Century,” in a stormy endorsement of the Republican frontrunner.
CPAC also saw a straw poll held of members to choose a Vice President pick for the Republican candidate, most likely to be Donald Trump.
In a vote of just under 1,500 members conducted online and on the CPAC app, Vivek Ramaswamy and Kristi Noem tied on 15 percent.
Former Democratic House Rep. Tulsi Gabbard took third place at nine percent while Rep. Elise Stefanik and Senator Tim Scott tied for fourth place with eight percent.
Ramaswamy famously suspended his presidential bid in January after finishing fourth in the Iowa caucus.
He quickly endorsed Trump, staying the former president had “my full endorsement for the presidency.”
BANNON'S OPENING CPACE SPEECH
Trump and his supporters received a rockstar reception during the conservative event, with many attendees traveling from around the world
Steve Bannon declared that MAGA “could rule for 50 years” during a live version of his War Room podcast to open up CPAC on Wednesday.
“MAGA will govern the United States for 50 years and Trump will go down as the best president since Abraham Lincoln,” Bannon claimed.
The former White House Chief of Staff placed his prediction that Trump would win in “a massive frickin’ landslide” in November
“And I think we’re going to do the right thing for this country. And so I’m going to ask you to follow me in taking our America First movement to the next level.”
Yet there has been speculation the entrepreneur would earn the title of Trump’s running mate.
Trump was asked by Laura Ingraham on Tuesday about a list of potential choices, which included all the aforementioned candidates and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
The former President said they were all on his shortlist.
“Honestly, all of those people are good,” he told Ingraham. “They’re all good, they’re all solid.”
Trump praised Scott during his rally in South Carolina on Friday, calling his 2024 campaign, which ended in October, “OK.”
“He’s a respected guy. But he ran and he did fine, and then when he got out he endorsed me and he’s a surrogate,” said Trump.
“He’s the greatest surrogate I’ve ever seen.”
Trump also praised Scott’s mother, calling her “incredible.”
“[Scott] is a much better representative for me than he is a representative for himself. And it’s true. And that’s a great compliment. And you know why? Because he’s a high-quality person. He doesn’t like talking about himself.”
CPAC HIGHLIGHTS
Thousands gathered outside DC for the largest conservative grassroots event in the US. Here are some of the most talked-about moments:
- A Trump supporter, Jeff Hamilton showed up to the event with a MAGA hat made of 24-karat gold – the gear cost a whopping $15,000.
- “The story is ‘Make America Great Again,'” he told The U.S. Sun. “The hat is here to spread that message.”
- Trump and First Lady, Melania, sent touching letter to Margie and Matthew Kochman whose two sons died from a fentanyl overdose.
- The Kochmans praised the former president, saying he needs to be back in office: “He’s the only one who can straighten out this mess and get it done.”
- Trump issued a warning that the US would “lose World War 3” if President Biden won a second term.
- Lara Trump, wife of Eric Trump, declared that Americans are in “the darkest of days,” adding that “evil” Biden has “to go”
South Dakota Governor Noem spoke at the conference, sending praise to the former President.
“I have stood in the breach for President Trump, for the Constitution, and most importantly for you – the people – in some of toughest fights of our Republic,” she said.
Noem also threw jabs at President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, questioning their leadership.
“I’m just going to say it. Joe Biden and Kamala Harris? They suck,” she said, earning thunderous applause.
“We need to face the facts, Joe Biden is not going to the president and Kamala is not a backup plan,” Noem added, hinting that Biden might not make it to the November election.
Along with her praise, Noem also answered why she didn’t announce her own presidential bid and instead was one of the first politicians to support Trump.
“I said no, why would would run for president if you can’t win,” she said. “I didn’t said it to be nice. I said it because it was a fact.”
