Former President Donald Trump cast November害羞草研究所檚 presidential election as 害羞草研究所渏udgment day害羞草研究所� and declared himself a 害羞草研究所減roud political dissident害羞草研究所� during a speech before conservative activists outside of Washington Saturday as he again cloaked his campaign in religious imagery.
Speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference ahead of his win in the South Carolina Republican primary, Trump painted an apocalyptic vision of the future if President Joe Biden wins a second term as the two prepare for an expected rematch election.
害羞草研究所淔or hardworking Americans, Nov. 5 will be our new liberation day. But for the liars and cheaters and fraudsters and censors and imposters who have commandeered our government, it will be judgment day,害羞草研究所� he said to loud applause. 害羞草研究所淲hen we win, the curtain closes on their corrupt reign and the sun rises on a bright new future for America.害羞草研究所�
Trump also cast himself as a 害羞草研究所減roud political dissident害羞草研究所� days after comparing himself to Russian dissident Alexei Navalny, the top political opponent of Russia害羞草研究所檚 autocratic leader Vladimir Putin, who died in a remote Arctic prison after being jailed by the Kremlin leader.
害羞草研究所淚 stand before you today only as your past and hopefully future president, but as a proud political dissident. I am a dissident,害羞草研究所� he told the crowd.
Trump was speaking at this year害羞草研究所檚 CPAC gathering as voters headed to the polls in South Carolina. The former president easily beat his last remaining Republican primary rival, Nikki Haley, in the state where she served as governor for two terms. While Haley has vowed to remain in the race until next month害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所淪uper Tuesday害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所� when more than a dozen states will vote 害羞草研究所� Trump害羞草研究所檚 campaign is hoping he can reach the delegate threshold to clinch the nomination in March.
Last year, Trump used his speech at CPAC to tell his supporters that his 2024 campaign would be one of 害羞草研究所渞etribution.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淚n 2016, I declared: I am your voice. Today I add: I am your warrior. I am your justice. And for those who have been wronged and betrayed, I am your retribution,害羞草研究所� he said then.
This time, he cast himself as a savior standing between his supporters and near-anarchy as he spoke of 害羞草研究所渉oards of illegal aliens stampeding across our borders,害羞草研究所� warned the country害羞草研究所檚 social safety net and education system would 害羞草研究所渂uckle and collapse,害羞草研究所� and claimed that, 害羞草研究所渢he gangs will be invading your territory.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淭hese are the stakes of this election: Our country is being destroyed and the only thing standing between you and its obliteration is me,害羞草研究所� he declared, casting Biden害羞草研究所檚 leadership as 害羞草研究所渁n express train barreling toward servitude and to ruin.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所滱 vote for Trump is your ticket back to freedom, it害羞草研究所檚 your passport out of tyranny and it害羞草研究所檚 your only escape from Joe Biden and his gang害羞草研究所檚 fast track to hell. And in many ways, we害羞草研究所檙e living in hell right now,害羞草研究所� he said, adding that: 害羞草研究所渢he unprecedented success of the United States of America will be my ultimate and absolute revenge.害羞草研究所�
Violent crime is, in fact, down nationwide, according to the most recent FBI statistics. And despite public perception, recent data on the economy has shown that growth accelerated last year while inflation returned closer to the Federal Reserve害羞草研究所檚 2% target, proving wrong Wall Street and academic economists who had been predicting a recession.
This year害羞草研究所檚 CPAC conference has featured a parade of Republican lawmakers and MAGA personalities who have echoed Trump害羞草研究所檚 attacks on Biden害羞草研究所檚 border policies, his handling of the economy and Trump害羞草研究所檚 assertion that the 91 felony charges he faces across four separate jurisdictions are nothing more than a baseless attempt by the Biden administration to damage his candidacy. There害羞草研究所檚 no evidence that Biden influenced the charges in any way.
In response to Trump害羞草研究所檚 speech, Ammar Moussa, the Biden campaign害羞草研究所檚 rapid response director, called the former president a 害羞草研究所渓oser.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淯nder his presidency, America lost more jobs than any president in modern history, women in more than 20 states have lost the freedom to make their own health care decisions because Trump overturned Roe, and the MAGA wing of the Republican Party lost their damn minds putting Trump害羞草研究所檚 quest for power over our democracy,害羞草研究所� Moussa said in a statement.
The lineup has featured a handful of Republican vice presidential hopefuls including former candidate Vivek Ramaswamy and U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, as well as foreign leaders like El Salvador害羞草研究所檚 president, Nayib Bukele, former British Prime Minister Liz Truss, and the president of Argentina, right-wing populist Javier Milei.
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Colvin reported from Columbia, South Carolina.
Adriana Gomez Licon And Jill Colvin, The Associated Press
