The 2025 Conservative Political Action Conference has attracted guests from across the country and around the world, specifically to “embrace” what the United States’s “conservative movement” stands for.
Calista Clements, one of several CPAC attendees from Australia, told the Washington Examiner how she and several other “young conservatives” have traveled to Washington, D.C., for CPAC this year and how she wants to learn from “the big dogs” in the U.S., which she described as the biggest country supporting the West. She added that her country has become “very woke, very left” over the years and that she wants to learn from “those who fight for the free world.”
“I think there’s a lot to embrace from the U.S.; they’re bold, they’re strong, they’re unapologetic,” Clements told the Washington Examiner, sporting a red “Make America Great Again” hat. “The movement going forward, in the states of conservative movement, is fantastic, and I think there’s a lot to take back home to really try to educate and bring reality back into the issues that we’re facing in our political system, especially with our youth back in Australia.”
When asked about her impression of the first month of the Trump administration, Clements described it as “a roller coaster” and how it is “fantastic” to see President Donald Trump and his colleagues issuing executive orders that have been needed “over the course of four years.” She added that she “can’t wait” to see what the next four years hold under Trump’s leadership.
Clements also commended Trump assertiveness and how he is “completely unapologetic,” which runs counter to how many Australian politicians are “people pleasers.” She expressed how it is “imperative” that Trump’s “boldness” is brought to her home country.
Another Australian attending CPAC this year, Angus Kennelly, described one of his favorite things about Trump in 2025 is how the president is encouraging other countries to become more “self-reliant and self-resilient.” Kennelly added that Trump implementing tariffs will have a “remarkable impact” on Western countries “in the long term.”
Edward Schuller, a fellow Australian CPAC attendee, spoke highly of the Department of Government Efficiency and its work to cut down waste in the federal government, calling it a “phenomenal edition.” He argued that his home country needs an initiative similar to DOGE, citing how some groups are urging Australia and “pressing” for the creation of this initiative.
For other attendees, seeing Trump just a month after his inauguration was the main drive for their attendance. Gary Barve, an attendee who is running for president of the U.S. in 2028, told the Washington Examiner that he has met Trump in the past and was enthusiastic about potentially meeting him again and seeing other Trump supporters.
“I just love President Trump, love our country, love our great American people, and I’m here to meet with them and just enjoy the event, and obviously, I’m running for office, and so it helps to be at one of the biggest conservative events in the country: the CPAC event,” Barve told the Washington Examiner.
Lucille Puntorno, a 68-year-old CPAC attendee, stated that she never cared for politics until Trump threw his hat into the ring for the presidency, stating that she has “always liked” Trump and would only gamble at the billionaire’s casinos. She described how CPAC attendees are her favorite part of CPAC, citing how “friendly” people are to each other; she also stated she thinks the Trump administration is doing “a great job” a month into the president’s second term.
“I have faith in Trump, and I have faith in the Lord, and I know the Lord put him here to help us all, so I know what he’s going to do, it’s going to work, ‘cause it’s the Lord’s plan and he’s part of it,” Puntorno said.
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Trump is one of several high-profile speakers that CPAC attendees can expect to hear from at this year’s annual event. Other speakers include lawmakers like Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL), Sens. Rick Scott (R-FL) and Ted Cruz (R-TX), and Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R-AR).
Vice President JD Vance spoke at the event on Thursday, touting the “breakneck pace” the president has been keeping his administration at since returning to the White House last month. Vance also detailed the three main targets for the Trump administration: securing the southern border, growing the economy, and reducing government spending.
