PALM BEACH, Fla. — Former President Donald Trump staked his claim to the Republican Party in a private speech to donors Saturday night, casting his populist policies and attack-dog politics as the key to future Republican success.
Trump also reinforced his commitment to the GOP in his address, according to prepared remarks obtained by The Associated Press. The speech comes as Republican officials seek to downplay an intraparty feud over Trump’s role in the party, his commitment to GOP fundraising and his plans for 2024. Trump’s advisers reported that the former president planned to emphasize party unity.
“The key to this triumphant future will be to build on the gains our amazing movement has made over the past four years,” Trump told hundreds of leading Republican donors, according to the prepared remarks. “Under our leadership, we welcomed millions upon millions of new voters into the Republican coalition. We transformed the Republican Party into a party that truly fights for all Americans.”
The former president delivered his remarks in private at his Florida resort, Mar-a-Lago, in the final address of the Republican National Committee’s weekend donor summit in Palm Beach. Most of the RNC’s invitation-only weekend gathering was set at a luxury hotel 4 miles away, but attendees were bused to Trump’s club for his remarks.
U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton, the Arkansas Republican widely considered to be a 2024 presidential hopeful, spoke to donors on Friday night. Cotton attacked the Democrats’ positions on transgender youth, voter ID laws and Major League Baseball’s decision to move its All-Star Game to protest Republican voting laws. Trump covered the same topics in his prepared remarks.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis was expected to address donors Saturday night as well. Earlier in the weekend, a slew of candidates already positioning themselves for a 2024 presidential run made appearances. Besides DeSantis and Cotton, the potential White House contenders included South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, Sens. Rick Scott and Marco Rubio of Florida, and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina.
Trump’s team reports that his remarks are intended to reinforce his continued leadership role in Republican affairs, a sharp break from past presidents.
“Saturday’s speech will be welcomed words to the Republican donors visiting Mar-a-Lago to hear directly from President Trump,” Trump adviser Jason Miller said earlier in the day. “Palm Beach is the new political power center, and President Trump is the Republican Party’s best messenger.”
However, just a month ago, Trump’s political action committee sent letters to the Republican National Committee and others asking them to “immediately cease and desist the unauthorized use of President Donald J. Trump’s name, image, and/or likeness in all fundraising, persuasion, and/or issue speech.”
GOP officials have repeatedly tried to downplay the fundraising tensions and see Trump’s participation as a sign that he is willing to lend his name to the party. At the same time, Trump continues to aggressively accumulate campaign cash for his political action committee.
Trump has also regularly attacked his Republican critics in recent weeks, especially Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and No. 3 House Republican Liz Cheney. Neither attended the weekend donor summit.
Trump did not attack Cheney or McConnell — or any Republicans — in Saturday’s speech, at least according to his scripted remarks.