Prominent European conservatives and national populists are heading to Washington, eager to forge closer ties with the Trump administration at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). Their mission? Bring the MAGA movement’s momentum across the Atlantic.
With Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance, and other key figures in attendance, CPAC is more than just a gathering—it’s a declaration that the political tide is turning. “Proximity to power, and the perception of it, is power,” noted Jeremy Shapiro of the European Council on Foreign Relations, underscoring why European leaders are making the trip.
Among the expected speakers are France’s Jordan Bardella and Sarah Knafo, Italy’s Giorgia Meloni, Slovakia’s Robert Fico, European Conservatives and Reformists chairman Mateusz Morawiecki, along with the UK’s Nigel Farage and Liz Truss.
A press release from Patriots for Europe framed the event as a pivotal moment in uniting transatlantic patriotic movements to reclaim national sovereignty. Strategic discussions between European and American allies aim to fortify these connections.
Beyond the speeches, attendees will engage in panels with titles like “Nowhere to Run: The Takedown of Left Tech” and “BlackRock Life’s Matter: Crushing Woke Board Rooms,” signaling a shared resistance to progressive agendas.
A Global Movement Takes Shape
Trump’s second term has dramatically altered U.S.-European relations. His administration’s fierce criticism of censorship and so-called ‘woke ideology’ has both unsettled traditional allies and energized national populists across Europe.
While differences exist between American and European movements, Trump’s 2024 victory reinforced common ground in the fight against mass migration, the erosion of Christian values, and the Green Deal. Bardella, chairman of Patriots for Europe, has openly praised Trump’s leadership, calling him a model of patriotism. He also applauded Vance’s recent speech at the Munich Security Conference, where the vice president condemned EU leaders’ suppression of free speech.
This growing alliance is evident elsewhere. Elon Musk recently made a virtual appearance at a German AfD rally, and AfD co-chair Alice Weidel met with Vance ahead of Germany’s legislative elections—just days after the U.S. vice president pointedly ignored Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
Meanwhile, Trump’s latest claim that Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy provoked the war with Russia, while factually shaky, has resonated with national populist leaders. Hungary’s Viktor Orbán echoed the sentiment, blaming Ukraine for escalating the conflict during a discussion with Tucker Carlson.
CPAC’s influence has spread globally, with branches now in Hungary, Japan, Argentina, and Israel. In Washington, Hungarian CPAC leader Miklós Szánthó called for conservatives across continents to stand together in their shared struggle.
Even Liz Truss, Britain’s shortest-serving prime minister, seized the moment, railing against the “deep state” and urging for a European version of MAGA. She’s far from alone in that ambition.
