Conservatives gather for CPAC with the right openly divided over the Iran war

Conservatives are holding one of their largest annual gatherings as President Donald Trump faces a tough moment and a growing rift over the war in Iran

GRAPEVINE, Texas -- Conservatives are holding one of their largest annual gatherings at a perilous political moment for President Donald Trump and with open division on the right over the war he launched in Iran.

While Trump maintains broad support among conservatives, the war in Iran is more than a wrinkle for activists drawn to his “America First” campaign pledge against getting involved in foreign conflicts. The debate will be a subtext — and likely flare publicly — as thousands of activists, influencers and Republican lawmakers gather at the Conservative Political Action Conference that begins Wednesday outside Dallas.

The gathering will be a contrast to the celebratory meeting one year ago where Trump, newly returned to office, vowed to “forge a new and lasting political majority” and Elon Musk wielded a chainsaw to symbolize how the administration was slashing the government workforce and red tape.

This year, neither Trump nor Vice President JD Vance has been publicly announced as speaking to the gathering. But among those who are slated to speak are big names in the MAGA movement who have voiced conflicting views on the Iran war.

"This is obviously going to be a hot topic,” said John Gizzi, a CPAC veteran and columnist for the conservative media outlet Newsmax, who noted the possibility of greater U.S. involvement over an uncertain length of time.