Republicans seethe about Trump at half-empty conservative summit: 'Threat to everything'

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Raw Story

February 22, 2026 5:20PM ET


Current and former Republicans seethed about President Donald Trump during a half-empty conservative summit over the weekend, according to reports.

Conservatives organized the sixth annual Principles First summit just outside Washington, D.C., on Saturday and Sunday, an event estimated to draw around 750 attendees, the Associated Press reported. No currently elected Republican official attended the two-day event, which the AP said was about "half empty."

The sparse attendance didn't stop Republicans from bashing the Trump administration and the president's MAGA movement, which one speaker described as "authoritarian-embracing cult," according to the report.

“He’s everything our founders feared. Say it. Believe it,” Former Republican lawmaker Joe Walsh said, adding that Trump's “authoritarian-embracing cult” is “a threat to everything I love.”

Read more: https://www.rawstory.com/republicans-2675292543/

[Hugin]

1. "No currently elected Republican official attended the two-day event..."

They need to leave the word “principles” out of their organization’s name. Maybe add the words massage parlor or open bar. But, I will let the republican think tanks handle the messaging. They have been doing so well.

[Skittles]

2. y'all helped to create that fucking monster

NOW SUCK IT UP

[OldBaldy1701E]

4. 100%! (n/t)

[Bengus81]

9. Yep...and instead of staying in office to Impeach and REMOVE this NAZI

those chicken shit Republicans resign and kick the can down the road.

[poozwah]

14. pitiful

as you say, they created this monster, but they now see the swastikas on the wall and fear that they will relegated to becoming just plain old americans due to their support of one of the key members of the epstein elite. epstein is still fucking people, but now they are older.

[cstanleytech]

3. They built this in the first place so I call fake outrage.

[wolfie001]

5. Republican party is a home for:

Homophobic, racist, hate-filled, religious wack-a-doos. It's been that way since ronald reagan.

[no_hypocrisy]

6. Silly Republicans! Oligarchs don't time for you!

[Roy Rolling]

7. How Bipartisanship Can Fail

Reaching across the aisle works among two honorable opposing sides. When one side is a chameleon and always changing to match the environment, normal opposition fails. Opposition must be unique, humorously enlivening to your side, and attractive enough for opposition to consider out of curiosity. Attachment to come…

[democrank]

8. Principles First summit attendance required backbone.

Elected Republican officials didn’t attend….didn’t meet the requirement.

[poozwah]

15. discovery

once they discovered that principle was different from principal, they lost interest.

[Kahuna]

10. They need to do more than seethe. What's it going to take...

for them to understand it's time for him to go?

[Scrivener7]

11. Joe Walsh was an awful representative, but he's been consistent and outspoken against Cankles since

before his first administration. And Christie seems to have seen the light after he was rejected by Cankles.

These are conservatives who have rejected trump. I'm sorry it was sparsely attended.

[Random Boomer]

13. They're the last hangers on to the GOP

Republicans of good character and principles have left the Republican party entirely. The anti-Trumpers who remain are still grasping (futilely) at power.

[orangecrush]

12. K&R

[sop]

16. They still refuse to do the only principled thing that will free them from Trump's authoritarian cult: vote "D."

Maybe they'll find their principles this November?

[usonian]

17. They are just wagging fingers.

And other things.

[mike_c]

18. principles first?!