Thousands of conservative activists, Republican lawmakers and national political figures descended on Grapevine this week for CPAC 2026, the Conservative Political Action Conference's four-day gathering at the Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center — and the event is unfolding against a backdrop of unusual tension within the right.
The conference kicked off Wednesday and runs through Saturday, featuring a main program of more than 80 speakers. Hundreds of attendees from across the country and overseas formed winding lines through the corridor outside the event hall Wednesday, with the main stage program not set to begin until Thursday.
This is the second time CPAC has been held in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, with the first being in 2021.
Neither President Trump nor Vice President JD Vance is publicly scheduled to speak at this year's gathering — a notable contrast to last year's conference, when Trump, freshly returned to office, vowed to "forge a new and lasting political majority" while Elon Musk wielded a chainsaw to symbolize the administration's government-cutting agenda.
WATCH NOW: CPAC INTERNATIONAL FAITH SUMMIT & INTERNATIONAL SUMMIT https://t.co/xAopjLog7l
— CPAC (@CPAC) March 25, 2026
The dominant tension hanging over this year's event is Trump's ongoing war in Iran. While the president retains strong backing from the conservative base, the conflict cuts against the "America First" posture that drove his political rise. A new AP-NORC poll shows roughly 59% of Americans consider the military action excessive.
Prominent speakers include longtime Trump ally Steve Bannon, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, and Trump border czar Tom Homan. Cruz has publicly backed the Iran operation; Bannon has warned that a protracted conflict could cost Republicans votes heading into the November midterms. Gaetz's presence on the program underscores the split over the U.S. military alliance with Israel.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has one of the conference's most prominent speaking slots — the Ronald Reagan Dinner on Friday evening — as he prepares for a May 26 runoff against incumbent GOP Sen. John Cornyn. Cornyn is not attending. Trump has said he will endorse one of them but has not yet done so.
Other confirmed speakers include Education Secretary Linda McMahon, NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya, Dr. Mehmet Oz and former South Korean Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-Ahn.
Saturday's programming will be hosted by Mercedes Schlapp and include special guests. The conference's theme is the "Freedom First Movement," and features CPAC Central, Media Row, Radio Row and Podcast Row in the exhibit hall.
The conference kicked off Wednesday and runs through Saturday, featuring a main program of more than 80 speakers
