Trump expected to miss CPAC for first time in a decade

Although the president is not expected to speak, key members of his administration are still scheduled to appear at the conference, including Trump's border czar Tom Homan and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche.

By Misty Severi

Published: March 25, 2026 8:21pm

President Donald Trump is expected to miss his first Conservative Political Action Conference, where influential Republican leaders historically gather, with this year's event being held this week in Grapevine, Texas.

Vice President JD Vance is also not scheduled to speak at the conference, though a White House official told TIME Magazine that the president and vice president's schedules could change at the last minute.

Although the president is not expected to speak, key members of his administration are still scheduled to appear at the conference, which formally begins Thursday, including Trump border czar Tom Homan, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz.

Former Florida GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz, Steve Bannon and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton are also slated to appear. Paxton's rival in Texas' Republican Senate primary, Sen. John Cornyn, is not expected to speak at the event in order to remain in Washington, D.C. to participate in key votes. He was invited.

Trump's expected absence comes after he bowed out of attending CPAC in 2016 so he could continue campaigning for the Republican nomination for president, which he eventually won.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.