Ahead of Donald Trump's address at the 2017 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) members of the audience were memorably, if accidentally, given tiny red, white and blue flags to wave. The problem? Except for the word "Trump" printed across the middle of each tiny banner, they were waving an exact replica of the Russian flag. Today, that embarrassing slip-up seems relevant again as CPAC 2022 speakers navigate how to address the unfolding crisis in Ukraine, with Russian combat forces invading the same day that America's preeminent conservative conference began.
On Thursday morning, American Conservative Union president Matt Schlapp told The Independent that Russia's invasion of Ukraine — likely to be one of the worst conflicts in recent European history — won't alter the program CPAC has planned in Orlando for the next four days. With more than a dozen former Trump staffers on hand as speakers, including former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, former National Intelligence director Richard Grinnell and former Trump national security advisor Robert O'Brien, Schlapp reasoned, the issue would be organically covered through their expertise. Still, Schlapp did indulge in a jab at U.S. President Joe Biden, saying, "What happens when you're not projecting strength? What happens when you're projecting confusion, a weakness? Well, you probably get a lot more conflicts like Ukraine."
