CPAC’s first International Summit on US soil hits the National Harbor. The theme: ‘The World is on Fire and we’re coming to put it out.’

By Jack Pagano
jack@thetampapost.com 

National Harbor, MD.

A standing-room-only crowd watched CPAC’s International Summit at the National Harbor in Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C.  This unique gathering looked like a United Nations National Security Council meeting, where conservative leaders from around the world convened in a “war room” atmosphere. The summit goal was to address urgent global challenges and devise real-world actions that would bolster the conservative movement during this crucial political year, which culminates in the election of the next U.S. President in November.

Former US Ambassador to Germany and CPAC board member Richard Grenell stated former Presidents Ronald Reagan and Donald J. Trump agreed on a major tenant, “Peace comes through strength.  Peace is popular.  And, look no further than the four years of the Trump administration where we get to say, Vladimir Putin did not invade and start a war, and we didn’t have a war between Arabs and Israelis. We had peace.”  This resonated with leaders in the room as the banter for ideas, and solutions was thrown out like spaghetti to a wall.  Did any stick?

CPAC International Summit.  War Room Host Steve Bannon and CPAC Directors Mercedes and Matt Schlapp start the discussion. 21 Feb 2024 (photo by Jack Pagano)

War Room host and former Trump advisor Steve Bannon said, “There’s a massive amount of debt globally that will dwarf the banking collapse of 2008 and even the great depression of 1929.” He added, “We’re in a kinetic war right now with a mass invasion of immigrants to the USA and Europe. Governments are going to fall if we don’t act now.”

CPAC International Summit.  War Room host and former Trump administration advisor Steve Bannon taking note. 21 Feb 2024 (photo by Jack Pagano)

Nigel Farage, former leader of the Brexit party agreed with Bannon’s, “clock is ticking” dilemma. “You can’t be a proper country unless you control your borders. I’m very hopeful the American people use common sense and put back a president in November that says we must defend our borders.  If we lose our borders, we lose a significant part of our culture.”

CPAC International Summit.  Former British Prime Minister Lizz Truss (left), Nigel Farage former leader of the Brexit Party (center), and Hungary Ambassador Szabolcs Takacs. 21 Feb 2024 (photo by Jack Pagano)

Moderating the discussion was KT McFarland, former Trump administration national security deputy advisor and CPAC border member. She kept the discussion trains running on time and focused on developing a summit narrative.

CPAC International Summit.  US Ambassador Carla Sands (left) and KT McFarland Former National Security Advisor to the Trump administration listen intently. 21 Feb 2024 (photo by Jack Pagano)

The summit provided an opportunity for conservative world leaders to hash out ideas and solutions.  They know time is running out and they understand it’s all about galvanizing a movement.   Bannon says they have a winning game plan and will use the “lessons learned” from Trump’s first administration to “drain the DC swamp.” Republican Senator and former college football coach Tommy Tuberville summed it up with an emotional talk from the heart.

“Our country is in trouble. There’s not one thing we’re doing right since President Biden took office. I have no clue as to what they’re doing and why.  We’re broke, we have no borders, our military is woke, we have taken steps backward in almost everything.  If we don’t get our education back it’s over.”  Tuberville continued, “We are ‘screwing it up’ because we have socialists, communists trying to change our way of life.” We are not going to let that happen…”

Former acting Attorney General under the Trump administration Matt Whitaker echoed Tuberville’s sentiments.  A former football player at the University of Iowa Whitaker took the microphone and said, “We don’t give up the fight. We have to do so much.  Do not give up hope. Never give up hope because we are going to win!  Our way of life is going to win.”

CPAC International Summit.  Former acting Attorney General under the Trump administration Matt Whitaker gives his pep talk to conservative world leaders. 21 Feb 2024 (photo by Jack Pagano)

Jack Pagano is a retired Army field grade officer with many decades of Information Operations experience and currently working remotely in the USA as COO/Strategist for one of Afghanistan’s biggest Radio/TV networks.  His current mission is getting out Afghan journalists he trained, and mentored who are stuck, stranded under the Sharia-driven Taliban.