NATIONAL HARBOR, Md.– President Trump is expected to speak at the Conservative Political Action Conference Saturday afternoon for the fourth time in his presidency.
The president is slated to deliver his address to CPAC on the closing day of the gathering after holding a press conference on coronavirus at the White House earlier in the day.
“Look forward to being with all of my friends and supporters @CPAC on Saturday, February 29th! #KAG2020,” Trump tweeted last week announcing his plans.
“#KAG2020” stands for “Keep America Great 2020,” one of his re-election campaign’s slogans.
Trump has addressed CPAC every year since taking office in 2017.
The president’s speech comes after days of panels, featuring White House officials, members of his re-election campaign, prominent Republican lawmakers and members of the conservative media making the case against socialism.
The theme at the annual conservative gathering outside Washington has been “America vs. Socialism.” The rhetoric at the event has repeatedly turned back to the current front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination, democratic socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders.
BERNIE SANDERS BECOMES LIGHTNING ROD AT CPAC, AS TRUMP SOLDIERS LAUNCH WAR AGAINST SOCIALISM
Vice President Mike Pence also addressed CPAC, warning conservatives against socialism—saying: “Freedom works. Socialism doesn’t.”
Pence, during his CPAC appearance, rallied the crowd and made the case for Trump’s re-election.
“Elections are about choices,” Pence said, while saying the 2020 race will give voters the choice between socialism and freedom.
“The choice has never been clearer, the stakes have never been higher,” Pence said. “Men and women of CPAC, we’ve got work to do. The truth is, it won’t be enough to win the next election. We’ve got to win the next generation.”
The president’s speech comes on the day of the South Carolina primary, where former Vice President Joe Biden is hoping to salvage his campaign with a win in the state he’s long considered his firewall. Sanders has been catching up to him in the polls but has continued to trail.