CPAC Speech: Trump calls himself a ‘proud political dissident’

Former president Donald Trump cast November’s presidential election as ”judgment day” and declared himself a ”proud political dissident” during a speech before conservative activists outside of Washington Saturday as he again cloaked his campaign in religious imagery. Speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference on the day of South Carolina’s Republican primary, Trump painted an apocalyptic vision of the future if President Joe Biden wins a second term as the two prepare for an expected rematch election. “For hardworking Americans, Nov. 5 will be our new liberation day. But for the liars and cheaters and fraudsters and censors and imposters who have commandeered our government, it will be judgment day,” he said to loud applause. “When we win, the curtain closes on their corrupt reign and the sun rises on a bright new future for America.” Trump also cast himself as a “proud political dissident” days after comparing himself to Russian dissident Alexei Navalny, the top political opponent of Russia’s autocratic leader Vladimir Putin, who died in a remote Arctic prison after being jailed by the Kremlin leader. “I stand before you today only as your past and hopefully future president, but as a proud political dissident. I am a dissident,” he told the crowd. Trump was speaking at this year’s CPAC gathering as voters headed to the polls in South Carolina. The former president is widely expected to beat his last remaining Republican primary rival, Nikki Haley, in the state where she served as governor for two terms. While Haley has vowed to remain in the race until next month’s “Super Tuesday” — when more than a dozen states will vote — Trump’s campaign is hoping he can reach the delegate threshold to clinch the nomination in March. Last year, Trump used his speech at CPAC to tell his supporters that his 2024 campaign would be one of “retribution.” “In 2016, I declared: I am your voice. Today I add: I am your warrio