Page 3 - aruba-today-20250225

A3
U.S. NEWS Tuesday 25 February 2025

The few Republicans who still oppose Trump gather in search of a

path to oppose him

By BILL BARROW “If you’re looking for some-
Associated Press thing you can do, send me
WASHINGTON (AP) — Con- $10” for her retention cam-
servatives from across the paign, Spilsbury told fellow
country filled a ballroom a conference attendees.
few blocks from the White When Asa Hutchinson, the
House and lamented that former Arkansas governor
the United States is aban- who ran in the 2024 Repub-
doning the ideals that lican presidential primary,
forged a great nation. and Colorado Gov. Jared
Some attendees donned Polis, a centrist Democrat,
red hats with various in- offered carefully measured
scriptions mocking Presi- assessments of Trump’s
dent Donald Trump and opening weeks, they got
his “Make America Great mixed or muted responses.
Again” movement. Especially tepid was the
It was the largest gathering reaction when Hutchin-
to date of the “Principles son said he believes Trump
First Summit,” expanded when the president says he
upon Trump’s second term will respect court decisions
to welcome independents in the many early challeng-
and center-left Democrats Businessman Mark Cuban speaks after attending meetings at the White House, March 4, 2024, in es to his executive actions.
under a shared pro-de- Washington. But roars rang out for the
mocracy, anti-authoritari- Associated Press police officers who tried
an aim. cult to influence, because called it “the Cuck Con- services. to protect the U.S. Capitol
“This is not a time to bend it’s structured in a way that vention” on his government Kinzinger urged critics to on Jan. 6, 2021, and their
the knee, to play along,” two parties have complete account. The word “cuck,” ratchet up pressure in pub- unyielding assessments
said Heath Mayo, the Yale- control.” which describes a man lic settings because critical of Trump and his pardon
educated attorney who Mark Cuban, the entrepre- who likes to watch his wife town hall audiences, he of 1,500 supporters who
founded Principles First five neur and “Shark Tank” co- have sex with other men, argued, offer the most “un- breached the seat of Con-
years ago for self-identified host who was one of then- was frequently used during comfortable” moments of gress, including many who
politically homeless conser- Vice President Kamala the campaign to insult and a politician’s job. violently attacked law en-
vatives. “This is a time for Harris’ most prominent sur- emasculate rivals. “Right now, Republican forcement.
stiffening your spine, stand- rogates last fall, got a rous- Trump has far greater con- members of Congress fear “We need to hold on to the
ing up and getting ready ing ovation when he took trol of the Republican Party one person: Donald Trump. outrage and hold on to the
for a long fight.” the stage but vowed that in his second term, with al- They don’t fear you,” Kinz- anger and set aside the
Yet three days of conversa- he would not run for the lies across Congress and inger said. “When they start fear,” insisted Michael Fa-
tions and recriminations still White House. He dismissed the loyalty of most of the fearing you, that’s when none, a former Washington
left 1,200 attendees without the Democratic Party, pro- party’s base. But his few they start having a different officer who was attacked
a clear roadmap to loosen fanely, as unable to sell its remaining rivals within the calculus.” by rioters. Asked whether
Trump’s grip on the con- own message. party argue there are still Julie Spilsbury, a council- he would accept an in-
servative movement and “I’m not here to throw him ways to break his hold. member from Mesa, Arizo- vitation to talk to Trump,
America’s national identity. under the bus,” Cuban Former U.S. Rep. Adam na, wants to maintain her Fanone said the president
There was not even con- said of Trump, praising the Kinzinger, a frequent Trump place in Republican ranks. is incapable of being con-
sensus on whether to fight Republican president’s target who was among the Like more than two dozen vinced he is wrong and dis-
within Republican spheres ability as a marketer who people to receive a pre- attendees and speakers missed him with a profanity.
at all, migrate to the Demo- convinced voters he could emptive pardon from Presi- interviewed by The Associ- Fanone and his fellow offi-
cratic Party or find a differ- help them. dent Joe Biden, pointed to ated Press, Spilsbury cast cers later were accosted in
ent path altogether. Democrats, Cuban said, Republicans’ narrow 218- her 2024 ballot for Harris for an upstairs lobby by Proud
“It makes you feel better to make their critiques of 215 majority in the House president. Boys leader Enrique Tarrio,
know that you’re not alone Trump moot because they and said lawmakers are But she also publicly en- freshly freed from prison by
and that you’re not crazy,” “can’t sell worth s.” privately nervous as recent dorsed the Democratic Trump’s pardon. The follow-
said Jeff Oppenheim, a Trump’s allies mocked the town halls show voter an- nominee, saying it was a ing day, Principles First lead-
retired U.S. Army colonel gathering in advance as ger over billionaire Trump matter of “character and ers received an emailed
from Austin, Texas. “The full of “RINOs,” or Repub- adviser Elon Musk and his integrity.” bomb threat specifically
question is how to translate licans in name only. White sweeping moves to fire She now faces an ongoing mentioning Fanone, his
that into action in a politi- House communications federal workers, shut down recall effort by Trump back- mother’s address and other
cal system that’s very diffi- director Steven Cheung agencies and limit federal ers in Mesa. potential targets. q