Donald Trump hogs the limelight at conservative conference

The staid hallways of the Gaylord Convention Center in Maryland have disappeared behind the colorful decorations and outlandish outfits of the people in the crowds. It's the last day of the Conservative Political Action Conference, or CPAC for short, a yearly event that brings together conservative activists and representatives to exchange ideas.

Many visitors have arrived decorated in glitter, their clothing adorned with bright colors and stars-and-stripes motifs. They wear the US flag on T-shirts, overalls or, like Roberta Sikkelee Curtain, on their shoes.

"I'm here to support Donald Trump and Jesus Christ. We don't want somebody from the establishment in office, we the people," she told DW.

Her red dress has "MAGA" emblazoned on it, the abbreviation of Trump's favorite slogan: "Make America Great Again." The slogan is omnipresent.

MAGA fans already proclaiming Trump as the winner

It's easy to forget that the Republican presidential candidate hasn't even officially been decided yet. As CPAC was taking place, people in South Carolina voted in the Republican primary election for their presidential candidate.

South Carolina is the home state of Nikki Haley, the only remaining contender for the Republican nomination besides Trump. But even before the results were announced in the evening, Trump was declared the winner by many attendees. Nevertheless, Haley confirmed on Saturday that she did not want to drop out of the race, despite results that showed the former president taking around 60% of the vote in the primary.

"I'm definitely going to vote for Trump. Haley is not going to be popular enough," said Kevin Miller, 19, a member of the Republican Club at Hope College, a private Christian school in Michigan. "But more than that, Trump is more confident and that is where a lot of people base their votes."

Miller is a fan of Trump's foreign policy, he said, especially when it comes to border issues. "We've had them open long enough, we can close them," he told DW.

He also claims the US was involved in fewer wars under the former president, which he attributes to Trump's tone. Though it's true that Trump did not get the US involved in any new wars during his presidency, he did continue most of the military operations started by his predecessors, especially in the Middle East. He also expanded the military use of drones.

'Globalism is going to die!'

Meanwhile, on the main stage, organizer Matt Schlapp spoke and fired up the crowd. "Who is ready to save America? Globalism is going to die!" he shouted, amid clapping and chants of "USA!" Then the announcer introduced the "next president of the United States," as Trump himself took the stage.

The 77-year-old right-wing populist used his speech to present himself as the savior of an America that has slipped into chaos and crime under Biden's presidency. It was a bold claim, one not supported by crime statistics.

A vote for him is a vote for freedom, said Trump, before referring to his own legal situation. A series of civil and criminal cases could result in jail time for the twice impeached Republican.

'We can't let the Democrats win'

Even at first glance, Israel Markowitz, wearing a T-shirt bearing the slogan "Jews for Trump," looks like an ultra-Trump fan. In the primaries, however, Markowitz said he would have preferred to vote for Haley.

"I think she has a better character. She is the opposite of him, he is a nasty person," he said. But that won't stop Markowitz from voting for Trump now that he no longer sees any chance of Haley succeeding. "I have to support our nominee because we can't let the Democrats win."

Markowitz isn't the only one at the conference who didn't favor Trump from the start. CPAC attendee Brandon Weichert also originally backed Ron DeSantis, the governor of Florida, before Trump's speech won him over.

"He reminded me of the Trump of 2016. He was having fun, he's a fighter. He is somebody who is gonna push ahead, no matter what and I respect that," said Weichert.

Moreover, Trump's record as president also speaks in his favor, according to Weichert, who thinks the people at CPAC associate Haley with the establishment, the corporatists and the globalists. "It's not her time. Trump is the guy," he told DW.

Participants from all over the world, including Europe

CPAC isn't only attended by Americans. As well as Trump, Argentine President Javier Milei, who is currently trying to give his country a liberal economic overhaul, also spoke at the conference, along with other conservative delegations from all over the world.

Weichert said he had also seen participants from several European countries, including members of the German far-right Alternative for Germany. Monica Cotenescu of Romania's Republican Party has come to network with international conservatives — and to meet "Mr. Trump."

"He's a showman, he makes people applaud him, he makes people love him," she said.

Meanwhile, at a simultaneous alternative event, moderate conservatives were meeting at the Principles First Summit in Washington. Some of them spoke out against Trump, including the event's founder Heath Mayo. The day before the conference, Mayo told DW that he fears Trump's victory could be accompanied by a transformation of his party.

"It'll be a party of isolationism, it will be a party of conspiracy theories, about the deep state being arrayed against average Americans," he said. But he trusts that his country will prevent Trump's victory.

Trump chose his speaking venue very deliberately. He was at CPAC because, for him, the conference is no longer just a gathering of conservatives but an association of like-minded people, or as he said in his speech: "a group of people with common sense."

Trump certainly got the people at CPAC on his side. This year's conference was guided by the MAGA mantra: It's supposed to make America "great" and more conservative — with Trump in charge.

This article was originally written in German.