The Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington, D.C., kicks off Wednesday with talks from conservative activists, a taping of Fox News host Sean Hannity's show, and an "activism boot camp." Over the next four days at the largest annual gathering of conservatives, thousands of people from across the U.S. will hear from movement leaders including Vice President Mike Pence, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Gov. Scott Walker (R-Wis.), White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, White House counselor Kellyanne Conway, and President Trump's chief strategist Stephen Bannon, as well as authors, activists, and media figures.
Trump is slated to speak Friday morning, becoming the first sitting president to give a speech at CPAC since former President Ronald Reagan. In the past, Trump has gotten a mixed reception from CPAC attendees. NPR noted that while some "have always loved the way he sticks it to Democrats and the establishment," others have "harbored doubts about just how much of a conservative Trump actually is." When Trump has addressed CPAC in previous years, he's given speeches somewhat similar to those he gave on the campaign trail. In 2011, he railed against "other countries that are screwing us" and championed the creation of "vast numbers of productive jobs."
Since its inaugural convention in 1974, CPAC has provided conservatives an opportunity to promote their values and discuss their party's future.
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