CPAC's First Conference in Poland Highlights US-Poland Ties

Warsaw, May 28 (AP): The United States' foremost conservative event, the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), convened for the first time in Poland on Tuesday. This gathering occurred just days before a significant presidential election between two vastly different candidates: Rafal Trzaskowski, the liberal pro-European Union mayor of Warsaw, and Karol Nawrocki, a conservative historian supported by the Law and Justice party with backing from US President Donald Trump.

In her speech at the conference, US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, a key ally of President Trump, addressed the Polish electorate saying, “We need you to elect the right leader.” She criticized Trzaskowski as "an absolute train wreck of a leader" while endorsing Nawrocki as someone who would emulate Trump's leadership style in Poland.

Noem began her remarks with strong encouragement to support Nawrocki, stating, “I just had the opportunity to meet with Karol and listen: he needs to be the next president of Poland. Do you understand me?”

Noem suggested that Nawrocki's presidency could bolster the US-Poland relationship. “If you elect a leader that will work with President Donald Trump, the Polish people will have a strong ally to fight off enemies that do not share your values,” she said. She emphasized strong borders, community safety, and mutual respect for citizens, adding, “You will continue to have a US military presence here, equipped with American-made, high-quality resources.” Currently, around 10,000 US troops are stationed in Poland to reassure the NATO member against Russian threats.

She concluded by stating that just as Trump is a resolute leader for the US, Nawrocki could be an equally strong leader for Poland if elected.

CPAC's chairman, Matt Schlapp, opened the conference by asserting that conservatives globally are engaged in a struggle against “globalists,” who he described as adversaries of faith, family, and freedom. Schlapp emphasized CPAC's ongoing support for Trump amid his legal confrontations and highlighted similar challenges faced in Poland.

Engaging the audience, Schlapp questioned, “Are you happy that America is getting closer to being great again?” He added, “When one of us is under attack, the rest must defend them. The globalists intend to take each one of us out, to silence us, to ruin us.” He declared the importance of electoral victories worldwide, including Poland, for securing freedom.

The conference, hosted in Jasionka near Rzeszow—a conservative stronghold and key hub for US and Western arms support to Ukraine—reflects CPAC's evolution. Initially advocating for fiscal discipline and strong defense, the organization now celebrates Trump's populist stance and aims to foster a global conservative movement. Besides Poland, CPAC events have occurred in countries like Japan, South Korea, Mexico, and Israel.

Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban is a regular CPAC participant. The Polish event follows several gatherings in Budapest.

John Eastman, a conservative lawyer instrumental in Trump's failed efforts to contest his 2020 election defeat, also spoke. Eastman positioned the Polish elections as crucial for Western civilization’s future, warning of a cultural and ideological “cancer” threatening to spread eastward. “Poland is poised to play a critical role in defeating this threat to Western civilization,” Eastman stated, underscoring the election's significance this Sunday.

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