A moment meant to energise conservatives at one of America's biggest right-wing gatherings turned sharply uncomfortable on Friday, when the audience at the 2026 Conservative Political Action Conference in Grapevine, Texas cheered — not once, but twice — for impeachment hearings against President Donald Trump. The awkward exchange was captured on video and spread rapidly online, becoming one of the more notable moments to emerge from this year's conference.
Matt Schlapp, chairman of the American Conservative Union and the organisational force behind CPAC, had posed what he appeared to intend as a rhetorical crowd-warmer. 'How many of you would like to see impeachment hearings?' Schlapp asked the crowd, only for a wave of cheers to erupt in response. Visibly caught off guard, Schlapp shook his head and said with an awkward smile, 'No — that was the wrong answer. Let me try it again: how many of you would like to see impeachment hearings?'
