“I am your retaliation,” Trump said in his speech to his supporters. According to Postma, Trump is playing on strong feelings of anger among Trump supporters. “There is anger at how hundreds of those who stormed the Capitol were prosecuted, anger also at that last election loss, at that alleged fraud. Anger for the crown, for China. There’s a lot of frustration among Trump supporters.”
Vendetta
And for all of these things, Trump promises a kind of revenge, then really appeals to that anger and frustration among his own supporters. And he actually adds a little extra fuel to the fire.’ According to Postma, at the time the CPAC was a meeting of the conservative current in the United States, but it has become a Trump party. “It has been increasingly adopted by Trump and his supporters since Trump’s rise to power.”
“There’s a lot of frustration among Trump supporters”
Circus
Postma compares the CPAC to a circus. He sums up: “Trump caps and T-shirts are on sale everywhere. You can find Trump cookies, Trump dolls, phone subscriptions for conservative Americans, with a picture of Trump. And yes, most of the speakers are all from Trump’s corner.’
Precisely because it has become such a Trump event, many of Trump’s opponents do not show up. Republican presidential candidate and former UN ambassador Nikki Haley dared, but she was met with cries from Trump supporters. Otherwise, Haley has received a lukewarm reception, as has former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Haley and Pompeo don’t even mention Trump by name in their speeches. They are very cautious and only criticize indirectly.”
Trump’s applause machine
According to Postma, the overwhelming dominance of Trump supporters over the CPAC makes it difficult to estimate how large of support for Trump really is. According to the popularity poll also conducted at the CPAC, Trump gets 60% of the vote, while his Florida counterpart, Gov. Ron DeSantis, gets only 20%. “So that’s a very big difference, but the whole CPAC has become kind of a clapping machine for Trump.”
The CPAC has become a clapping machine for Trump
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Alternatives
At the same time, a meeting of what Postma calls “an influential and conservative anti-tax club,” the Club for Growth, was held in Florida. All potential presidential candidates were invited to that meeting, with the exception of Trump. Then Ron DeSantis, Trump VP Mike Pence, Ted Cruz and Nikki Haley made an appearance there. So there was an alternative to examining Trump. And the one right in his backyard in Florida, which kind of shows what relationships are right now.’
According to Postma, there is a huge division within the Republican party. “That party is just very confused with itself and with Trump as well.”
Want to know more about what’s happening in the US, including the presidential campaign? Then listen to the Podcast America with Jan Postma and Bernard Hammelburg.