MAGA Republicans have called for an end to their civil wars and begged the party to unite behind Donald Trump or face a “blue wave” at the midterm elections.
As tensions escalate within Trump’s base, the president’s allies have used the stage at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference in Texas to rally members to stick together.
CPAC fellow and former Trump adviser Mercedes Schlapp urged the party to focus on Democrats—not one another.
“They love it when we’re all fighting, when we’re at each other’s throats, when we call each other names,” she warned them. “We have to stay united.”
Conservative influencer Benny Johnson invoked the attempted assassination against Trump in 2024 as proof that “God saved President Trump’s life for this moment.”
The president, in turn, saved the country, Johnson argued, and deserved MAGA’s undivided loyalty.
And conservative commentator Michael Knowles—during a segment called “Why Can’t We All Just Get Along?”—told the conference: “We’re heading into very dangerous midterms, a very dangerous presidential election.
“The left literally wants to kill us, and they’ve expressed this time and time again for months. Conservatives: we’ve got to get on the program, unify, keep our eyes on the prize and win,” he said.
The call to arms came as tensions over Iran, the Epstein files, cost-of-living pressures, and antisemitism have divided Trump’s base in the second year of his administration.
But with only months until November’s midterms, the fractures are no longer confined to fringe online spaces but have spilled over into Congress, conservative media, and now the CPAC stage itself.
The most visible rupture at this week’s conference concerned Trump’s foreign policy in the Middle East.
As Trump opted not to attend CPAC for the first time in almost a decade to deal with the war, some of his traditional allies, including former Congressman Matt Gaetz and former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon, spoke out against it.
“I want President Trump to have every diplomatic tool at his disposal,” said Gaetz, who was initially tapped by Trump to be his Attorney General until a sex scandal derailed his chances.
“But a ground invasion of Iran will make our country poorer and less safe. It will mean higher gas prices, higher food prices, and I’m not sure we would end up killing more terrorists than we would create in Iran.”
Concerns about Israel and antisemitism have added another layer of tension, following a series of controversial remarks from far-right figures in recent months, while anger over the Epstein files continues to simmer beneath the surface.
One attendee at the event, Texas woman Blake Zummo, told the Daily Beast that she “couldn’t believe” how former Trump ally Marjorie Taylor Greene turned on the president over the Epstein files.
“It shocked me,” the 62-year-old said. “I know there are some bad characters in D.C., but if there was something in there about Trump, it would have come out a long time ago.”
Trump is not on the ballot for the midterms, which center on House and Senate seats. But as his chief of staff Susie Wiles revealed earlier this year, he will nonetheless be central to the contest, in a bid to bring out more GOP voters.
“He’s going to campaign like it’s 2024 again,” she said.
The stakes are unusually high. A Democratic takeover of one or both chambers of Congress would not only halt Trump’s legislative agenda but could pave the way for renewed investigations and potential impeachment proceedings, echoing the battles of his first term.
“Everybody’s afraid that the next administration, if we don’t win, we’re going to all be investigated and indicted,” Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche admitted during a fireside chat with CPAC chief Matt Schlapp on Wednesday.
“And why are they afraid? Because that’s exactly what happened during the last administration.”
Warning signs for Republicans are already emerging. Democrats have flipped roughly 30 state-level seats in recent months, including a high-profile upset in Trump’s political backyard of Palm Beach County, Florida, while Republicans have failed to make comparable gains.
“This is substantial,” said veteran political strategist Larry Sabato. “The Republicans should be very worried.”
The results have indeed rattled GOP strategists, who see them as an early indicator of voter dissatisfaction.
Compounding those concerns, Trump’s approval ratings have slid in recent polling, particularly among independents and suburban voters—key groups that will determine control of Congress.
Nonetheless, some at CPAC tried to project confidence.
“One thing that gives me hope is coming here at CPAC and coming here and standing with all of you good people,” said political activist Jack Posobiec.
“I don’t see that division. I see unity. I see unity of purpose.”
But others, such as former Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio, disagreed.
“There is zero chance Republicans win the midterms,” the former “Latinos for Trump” state director told the Daily Beast.
