Yahoo Autos As it happened: Donald Trump says he may run for White House again in CPAC speech
Donald Trump has told conservatives at a conference in Florida that he is considering running for the White House for a third time.
"A Republican president will make a winning return to the White House," he promised the crowd at the CPAC conference in Orlando. "Who will that be?" he said, smiling broadly. "Who, who, who will that be...?"
In a speech that touched on the common themes of Trumpism, the former president repeated false claims of election fraud and accused Democrats of "recklessly eliminating our border".
The address was his first major public appearance since retreating to Mar-a-Lago, his private club in southern Florida, after quitting Washington last month.
Read how it happened below.
12:00 AMReport: Trump teases another run in barnstorming speech
Report: Trump teases another run in barnstorming speech
Donald Trump's speech is over – but his journey back to the White House may be only just beginning.
The former president returned to his usual style in Florida tonight, suggesting he might try to be the next Republican nominee for president, and repeating claims of election fraud.
You can read Rozina Sabur's full report from Orlando here. Good night!
11:24 PMWill it be Trump in 2024?
Will it be Trump in 2024?
"A Republican president will make a winning return to the White House," he promises the crowd.
"Who will that be?" he says, smiling broadly. The audience stand to applaud and scream.
"Who, who, who will that be?" he continues.
Then after a few closing remarks he's finished. Waving to the adoring crowd as YMCA starts playing, Mr Trump smiles as the audience give him a standing ovation. He pumps his fist a few times and with that he's gone, disappearing behind the curtain.
When will we next see Donald Trump? Something tells me it won't be too long.
You can watch the speech in full here:
11:19 PMAnalysis: Things could get messy
Analysis: Things could get messy
Not exactly peace in our time. The Republican establishment nurtured a hope, albeit slim, Donald Trump might avoid going for his enemies within the Republican party, David Millward writes.
"Well over an hour into his speech, Mr Trump let fly at the Republicans in the House who voted for his impeachment and the senators who supported his conviction. Rather pointedly he named them all, before extending his ire to Mitch McConnell, although the Republican Senate leader voted against his conviction. Rounding on RINOS - "Republicans in name only - he gave the clearest signal yet that he will throw his weight behind insurgent candidates ready to mount a primary challenge against his party opponents. Things could get messy over the next year or so."
11:13 PMTrump teases endorsement
Trump teases endorsement
The former president turns to possibly future Republican candidates, hinting that he might endorse a candidate rather than run himself in 2024.
"President Trump's endorsement is the most powerful asset in politics," he says.
Boos ripple around the hall as Mr Trump mentions how he once endorsed Mitch McConnell.
Mr McConnell, the Senate minority leader, earned anger from grassroots Republicans after he criticised Mr Trump for inciting the Capitol siege, but ultimately voted to acquit him.
11:08 PMTrump tackles 'Rinos'
Trump tackles 'Rinos'
Now he lists Republicans who he says are opponents of the conservative movement, which sounds a bit like a graduation ceremony read by the angriest man in the world.
Mitt Romney and Pat Toomey are included, as is Liz Cheney, all of whom voted to impeach Donald Trump at his second trial.
He calls them "Rinos" – "Republicans in Name Only".
11:04 PMBig Tech giants 'should be punished'
Big Tech giants 'should be punished'
Donald Trump turns to Big Tech firms, saying they "should be punished with sanctions when they silence conservative voices".
He accuses them of being "radicals who want to turn America into a socialist country".
11:01 PMTrump calls for voter ID
Trump calls for voter ID
Donald Trump now calls for voter identification cards to prevent widespread electoral fraud, something that has never been close to happening in the history of the United States.
He accuses the Democrats of using Covid in order to cheat the American people.
"Our election process is worse than that of a third-world country," he says.
He claims that procedures in key swing states were rewritten at the last minute, handing Joe Biden victory.
Boos ring out around the hall.
10:54 PM'Such a disgrace'
'Such a disgrace'
Now Donald Trump launches his strongest attack on the Nov 3 election.
He calls for "comprehensive election reforms", accusing the Democrats of changing the laws due to the "China virus", therefore making the election "illegal".
During the Covid pandemic, American states changed their rules on how people could vote, encouraging people to vote remotely due to the dangers of voting in person in a pandemic. As a result, there was a near-record turnout, which some Republicans have claimed is proof of fraud.
Mr Trump repeats untrue claims that "illegal aliens" and "dead people" voted during the Nov 3 election.
"The level of dishonesty is not to be believed," he says. "It's such a disgrace.
"This election was rigged and the Supreme Court didn't want to do anything about it.
"They didn't have the guts or the courage to make the right decision."
10:46 PM'We love you!'
'We love you!'
Big cheers from the crowd as Donald Trump defends American history and the heroic founding fathers, accusing Democrats of holding values "based on unvarnished disdain for America, its past and its people".
Then he gets an enormous roar when he says: "We respect our... great... American flag!"
The crowds begins to chant: "We love you! We love you!"
10:36 PMDemocrats 'trying to destroy women's sports'
Democrats 'trying to destroy women's sports'
Now Donald Trump turns to women's sport, claiming that Democrats are destroying women's sport by allowing trans women to compete.
"It's crazy, it's crazy what's happening," Mr Trump says. "Women's sports as we know it will die.
He says: "Somebody said, 'that's going to be very controversial'" and pauses to wait for the cheers before adding: "That's OK, you haven't heard anything yet".
He also attacks Democrats on energy policy, accusing them of building windmills that kill birds.
Trump really, really hates windmills. Several minutes devoted to how they kill birds. Windmills won't make America great again, he says.
— Rozina Sabur (@RozinaSabur) February 28, 2021
10:25 PMBiden has restarted endless wars, says Trump
Biden has restarted endless wars, says Trump
Donald Trump suggests Joe Biden wants to go back into Afghanistan after his administration's successes in ending America's "endless wars".
He criticises the White House for removing sanctions on Iran as Washington prepares to negotiate a new nuclear deal.
Mr Trump says: "Had we had a fair election, we would have had a deal with Iran within the first week."
10:19 PM'Trump is weak'
'Trump is weak'
Adam Kinzinger, one of the ten Republican congressmen who voted to impeach Mr Trump, has blasted his party's former leader as "weak", Rozina Sabur writes.
He tweeted: "During Trump's CPAC speech, look for a theme: fear. Fear the Dems, fear other Repubs, fear immigrants fear everything.
"Fear is weakness... Trump is weak."
10:14 PMBiden has 'sold out America's children'
Biden has 'sold out America's children'
Donald Trump accuses Joe Biden of "selling out America's children to the teachers' unions", blaming Democrats for failing to get schools open as the US continues to fight the Covid pandemic.
"The mental and physical health of these young people is reaching a breaking point," he says.
Next he takes credit for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine which was approved by the US authorities yesterday, arguing that his administration achieved five year's worth of vaccine logistics within months.
Cases of Covid have begun to fall across most of the US in recent weeks.
10:11 PMRepeat of 'China virus' rhetoric
Repeat of 'China virus' rhetoric
Donald Trump has doubled down on calling Covid the "China virus", David Millward writes.
In the past he has also called it the "Kung Flu".
Critics have voiced alarm at the rhetoric which they blame for a surge in attacks on Asian Americans.
Last week a group monitoring assaults said it had documented 2,800 attacks in 47 states between March 19 and December 31.
