Trump breaks with tradition, skips CPAC amid domestic tensions over the war in Iran

CPAC kicked off in Texas with a pivotal seat left empty. For the first time in 10 years, President Donald Trump will not appear in person at the world's most important conservative conference. This comes at an extremely complex political moment for him amid domestic tensions over the war in Iran and his disapproval numbers, which reached an all-time low according to the latest Fox News poll.

The official reason for his lack of attendance, according to the event organizer, Mercedes Schlapp, is that the president is "focused on the war," but the former White House director of Strategic Communications acknowledged that the timing is not the best within the conservative movement.

Not a time for celebrations

The usual CPAC atmosphere-noisy, festive, charged with patriotic MAGA celebrations-collides with a more uncomfortable reality. The United States is embroiled in an unpopular war with Iran as Trump falls in the polls and the Republican Party loses state seats to Democrats in special elections, a highly negative thermometer heading into the midterms.

Schlapp did not dodge the issue. In a phone call with Politico the night before the event began, she said, "What we have seen is a divide in the conservative movement. There's a lot of tension, of certain talking heads that basically have different opinions on different issues."

She also acknowledged the broader context: "Obviously the country's in a different state right now; we're in a different reality that we're facing. And things are changing, literally by the minute or by every hour."

And added a clarion call to the MAGA movement and the Republican Party: "We can go and speak up and say, you know, we disagree — but the name-calling in the conservative world is not helpful."

A tough week for Trump

Last week, Democrats scored several major victories in special elections, flipping several Republican-controlled seats in different states. However, nothing like the powerfully symbolic victory on March 24: They won a special election in Florida State House District 87 - the same district that is home to Mar-a-Lago, Trump's home.

This district had voted for Trump by 11 points in 2024.

While it is only a statewide victory, Republicans could win back the seat in November. Democrats are using the partial win to send a message to the entire country: we won in Trump's neighborhood.