It’s CPAC time again! US Vice President JD Vance kicked off this year’s Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) 2025 with a thematically similar, though less shocking and striking address compared to his speech last week at the Munich Security Conference in Germany.

Organized by the American Conservative Union, CPAC 2025 is taking place in National Harbor, Maryland. As usual, this year’s conference features several big guns expected to steal the show. Besides Vance, attendees include Nigel Farage, leader of the British Reform UK party—which currently leads the polls ahead of both Labour and Conservative—Jordan Bardella, leader of Marine Le Pen’s National Rally in France, Argentinian President Javier Milei, and former Polish prime minister Mateusz Morawiecki. Political director of the Hungarian prime minister Balázs Orbán was also invited and spoke on the same day as the vice president.

However, CPAC would not be CPAC without the global right’s biggest (rock)star: Donald Trump. The 47th President of the United States will deliver his speech on Saturday—and given the circumstances, it is sure to be a real firework. US billionaire and co-chair of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) Elon Musk is also attending CPAC, adding even more attention to the gathering.

Vance Continues Owning Europe

JD Vance arrived to a well-deserved ovation from the audience. The vice president had a hard week: last Monday he delivered his first international speech as VP at the Paris AI Summit, criticizing the European Union’s overregulation and its attempts to restrict free speech under the guise of ‘combating disinformation’ on social media platforms. He then travelled to Munich, where he said—with some of Europe’s highest-level security and defence officials in the audience—that the continent had abandoned the fundamental shared values it once held with the United States. He criticized Europe’s failure to address illegal migration, the undemocratic cancellation of elections, the marginalization of right-wing parties, and restrictions on freedom of speech, all pursued in the name of a progressive, woke, globalist agenda.

Unsurprisingly, Vance’s speech in Munich did not receive the recognition it garnered at CPAC. On Thursday, speaking with host Mercedes Schlapp, the vice president reiterated his stance that illegal migration poses the greatest threat to both the United States and Europe. He criticized the long-standing liberal argument that migration is essential to addressing demographic challenges. ‘We cannot rebuild the United States of America or Europe by letting millions and millions of unvetted illegal migrants come into our country. It has to stop,’ he stressed.

He quickly turned the topic of illegal migration to European efforts to restrict free speech, referring to Germany, where police conduct raids on ordinary citizens for as little as a social media post deemed ‘hateful’ by state prosecutors. ‘The point that I try to make to our European friends is... friendship is based on shared values. You don't have shared values if you’re jailing people for saying we should close down our border,’ he said, noting that those who express negative views regarding migration are at the centre of these efforts to silence opinions that differ from the mainstream.

Vance also expressed optimism regarding the recently launched Ukraine peace talks, whose first round was held in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday between US and Russian delegations. ‘I really believe we are on the cusp of peace in Europe for the first time in three years,’ he stated. The vice president also addressed criticism towards Washington for negotiating with Russia, stating that ending the war requires engaging with all parties involved.

Watch the full discussion here:

Trump Won, and We Knew It!

Balázs Orbán also took the stage on Thursday for a conversation with Matt Schlapp, chairman of the organizing American Conservative Union. Orbán began by emphasizing the significance of Donald Trump’s return to the presidency, stating: ‘I think you saved your country and did a huge thing for Europe, the world, and, of course, Hungary.’ ‘Trump won, and we knew it,’ he added, referring to the Hungarian government’s long-standing endorsement of the president.

Orbán then noted that Hungary was a pioneer in combating illegal migration long before the rest of Europe recognized its dangerous negative impacts. ‘The Western world is now beginning to recognize that Hungary’s position was not only correct but also essential for maintaining security,’ he stressed.

‘Prioritizing national interests leads to success sooner or later’

He also criticized the European Commission for using financial pressure to influence Hungary’s migration policies. ‘Hungary spends one million euros daily due to withheld EU funds, yet we remain committed to preventing uncontrolled migration.’ Despite these challenges, Orbán affirmed Hungary’s determination to defend its sovereignty.

Budapest was also a lone voice advocating for peace in Europe, Orbán recalled, welcoming the Trump administration’s efforts to end the war in Ukraine. ‘Without dialogue, there can be no real solution,’ he emphasized. Concluding the discussion, Orbán stated that the examples of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and Trump demonstrate that prioritizing national interests leads to success sooner or later.

Watch the full conversation here:

Budapest, ‘Safe and Sound’

In a post on X following his conversation with Schlapp, Orbán underscored the importance of global cooperation among national conservatives. ‘@CPAC wraps up in DC on Saturday, but the fight continues in Budapest this May with CPAC Hungary!’ the political director wrote. He also extended an invitation to the audience during the discussion.

As Orbán mentioned, CPAC is returning to Hungary in 2025 for the fourth consecutive year. In 2022 Hungary became the first European country to host the prestigious conference. Since then, conservatives from around the world have gathered annually in what some call the ‘conservative island in Europe’s liberal ocean’. CPAC Hungary 2025 was announced by the organizer, Budapest-based think tank Centre for Fundamental Rights, whose director general Miklós Szánthó made the announcement during a joint press conference with Matt Schlapp last month. The conference is scheduled for 29-30 May, under the slogan ‘The Age of Patriots’. As in previous years, Viktor Orbán is set to deliver the keynote speech at the event. The Hungarian prime minister also addressed CPAC 2022 in Texas.

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