Overview
- At CPAC in Grapevine, Texas, a test vote named Vice President JD Vance the 2028 favorite with about 53% of more than 1,600 ballots, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio drew 35%.
- Donald Trump skipped the conference for the first time in years, yet attendees displayed strong loyalty with MAGA gear and chants praising his recent actions against Iran.
- Reporting pointed to strain inside the movement, with a Fox News poll showing Trump’s approval among Republicans at 84% and several high‑profile conservative media figures absent after criticizing him.
- Conference programming focused on the partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees border security and airports, along with hard‑line immigration plans and culture‑war themes, while the Iran conflict stayed secondary.
- Outside CPAC, organizers said “No Kings” protests occurred in all 50 states to denounce migration policy, foreign interventions and rising living costs.