2021 Conservative Political Action Conference
DateFebruary 25–28, 2021 (2021-02-25 – 2021-02-28)
VenueHyatt Regency Orlando
LocationOrlando, Florida, United States
Websitecpac.conservative.org

The 2021 Conservative Political Action Conference was the annual event of the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), hosted by the American Conservative Union. It was held at the Hyatt Regency Orlando in Orlando, Florida, from February 25 to February 28, 2021. The event was headlined by former President Donald Trump, with many speakers and panels throughout the conference.[1]

President Trump's address

Trump addressed the conference one month after departing office, when on January 20, 2021, Joe Biden was inaugurated as president. He claimed that he had won the 2020 presidential election and suggested he may run for president in 2024.[2]

Entire speakers list

The entire lineup of speakers by day listed below:[3][4]

Friday: Ron DeSantis, Mike Lee, Scott Walker, James Lankford, Pam Bondi, Ted Cruz, Mo Brooks, Madison Cawthorn, Tom Cotton, Marsha Blackburn, Matt Gaetz, Rick Scott, Josh Hawley, and Donald Trump Jr

Saturday: Ken Paxton, Ric Grenell, Mike Pompeo, Bill Hagerty, Robert Lighthizer, Devin Nunes, Cynthia Lummis, Burgess Owens, Darrell Issa, Andy Biggs, Lauren Boebert, Kevin McCarthy, and Kristi Noem

Sunday Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Mike Huckabee, Larry Kudlow, and President Donald Trump

Stage design controversy

Social media observers noticed and raised concerns over similarities between the CPAC main stage layout and a winged othala rune, which had been used as insignia by two units of the Nazi SS, and more recently by Neo-Nazi organizations.[5] CPAC chairman Matt Schlapp said comparisons were "outrageous and slanderous".[6] Hyatt issued a statement that it took concerns over the design seriously, but allowed the event to continue after organizers assured them "that any resemblance to a symbol of hate [was] unintentional."[5] Design firm Design Foundry later took responsibility for the design of the stage, saying that it "intended to provide the best use of space, given the constraints of the ballroom and social distancing requirements." Ian Walters, director of communications for the ACU and CPAC, said they would stop using Design Foundry.[7][8]

References

  1. ^ Plott, Elaina; Goldmacher, Shane (February 28, 2021). "Trump Wins CPAC Straw Poll, but Only 68 Percent Want Him to Run Again". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 28, 2021.
  2. ^ Coleman, Justine (February 28, 2021). "Trump teases another White House bid in CPAC speech". The Hill. Retrieved February 28, 2021.
  3. ^ Elaina Plott (February 25, 2021). "What to Watch For at CPAC: Trump, Cruz, Pompeo and More". The New York Times.
  4. ^ Morgan Phillips. "CPAC 2021 schedule: Who is speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Florida".
  5. ^ a b Peiser, Jaclyn (March 1, 2021). "As CPAC dismisses claims that its stage resembled a Nazi insignia, Hyatt calls hate symbols 'abhorrent'". The Washington Post. Retrieved March 16, 2023.
  6. ^ Walters, Joanna (March 1, 2021). "CPAC: Hyatt Hotels says stage design resembling Nazi rune is 'abhorrent'". The Guardian. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
  7. ^ Kornbluh, Jacob (March 3, 2021). "Design firm takes responsibility for CPAC stage controversy". The Forward. Retrieved March 16, 2023.
  8. ^ Ibrahim, Nur Nasreen (March 3, 2021). "Was the CPAC Stage Intentionally Shaped Like a Nazi Symbol?". snopes.com. Retrieved April 13, 2023. [Verdict: "Mixture". The resemblance was clear, the intention undetermined by documentation but denied.]
Categories