In a campaign-themed address, Donald Trump captivated the audience during the lengthy finale at the Conservative Political Action Conference on Saturday. He revisited familiar topics such as his electoral victories, ending the conflict in Ukraine, strengthening U.S. border security, and his vision of freeing Washington from what he described as “deep-state bureaucrats.”

Addressing a packed auditorium at National Harbor in Maryland, Trump emphasized his intention to send active-duty troops to the southern border, framing it as a response to an “invasion.” He also noted his administration’s decision to end temporary protective status for Haitian immigrants and efforts to eliminate birthright citizenship for children born to non-permanent residents.

“We’ve initiated the largest deportation effort in American history,” Trump proclaimed.

In one of his many asides, Trump depicted his potential return to power as a triumph over what he termed a “malevolent cabal of radical informers, war-mongers, and corrupt special interests” that he claims once dominated Washington. He specifically targeted media outlets, branding MSNBC as a “threat to democracy” and critiquing Rachel Maddow, who draws an audience of over 2 million viewers, for her supposed low ratings.

He further asserted that Democrats have “lost their confidence” and are promoting “the worst policies in history,” while boasting about the accomplishments of his administration’s first month.

“No one has experienced four weeks like we have,” he stated.

Trump highlighted several early initiatives, including significant reductions in the federal workforce and regulatory rollbacks, unsubstantiated claims of extensive Social Security fraud, exiting international climate treaties, and imposing new tariffs on countries like China, Canada, and Mexico.

He spoke about ongoing global conflicts, mistakenly asserting that U.S. aid to Ukraine surpassed that of European nations and claiming the U.S. had allocated $350 billion since the start of the Russian invasion in 2022. However, that figure is far from accurate, with an official oversight office estimating U.S. aid at around $183 billion, which is less than what European countries have collectively contributed.

Trump mentioned the recent release of Israeli hostages while stating that “Biden got back zero,” seemingly overlooking the U.S. role in facilitating the return of 105 hostages in November 2023.

The annual conference serves as a vital platform for Republican leaders to engage with conservative grassroots supporters, yet it has evidently shifted away from traditional GOP principles to fully integrate Trump’s MAGA-focused ideology.

Several international conservative figures, including Argentine President Javier Milei, currently embroiled in a crypto scandal, Polish President Andrzej Duda, and British Reform Party leader Nigel Farage, were in attendance and were praised by Trump during his speech.