Matt Schlapp speaking at the 2017 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in National Harbor, Maryland. (Photo credit: Gage Skidmore)
The Conservative Political Action Conference is hosting a gathering at President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club this week, with ticket packages priced at up to $95,000. HuffPost reported the event could funnel hundreds of thousands of dollars to Trump from his wealthiest supporters, regardless of Tuesday’s election results.
The so-called “Gathering of Visionaries” runs Wednesday through Sunday at Trump’s Palm Beach club, with speakers including actor Jim Caviezel, Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling, Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) and CPAC’s U.K. chair, former British Prime Minister Liz Truss.
It’s unclear whether Trump will attend, according to HuffPost. CPAC wouldn’t say how many tickets it has sold or what it’s paying Mar-a-Lago, and said press would not be allowed in. The White House did not respond to the outlet’s questions.
“More grift,” said Norm Ornstein, a longtime scholar at the right-of-center American Enterprise Institute. “Of course, the significant share of it will go directly to Trump’s pocket.”
A prominent GOP consultant, speaking anonymously, described the event as part of the “Great Grift.” (“Don’t be trying to get me yelled at before an election. They all keep score on this,") the consultant added. A top Florida Republican, also speaking anonymously, said the event “provides no useful purpose” other than to generate money.
“The Schlapps are horrific grifters,” he said.
Hosting at Mar-a-Lago carries a hefty price tag. Trump charged the Republican National Committee $224,858 for a 2018 meeting there, and charities have paid six figures for fundraisers, HuffPost reported. At a recent rally, Trump joked that the club probably wouldn’t be a good value for average Americans.
Matt Schlapp, who chairs the American Conservative Union, which runs CPAC, was accused last year of groping a patron at a Virginia bar, though no charges were filed. He and his wife, former Trump White House official Mercedes Schlapp, earned a combined $821,929 from the ACU in the year ending March 31, 2025, according to the group’s latest tax filing, accounting for 43% of its total staff pay.
HuffPost also noted that CPAC’s alignment with Trump has affected its standing among non-Trump Republicans. A dozen presidential hopefuls attended in 2015, but only Trump, Nikki Haley and Mike Pompeo showed up in 2023.
Report typos and corrections to corrections@rawstory.com.
For customer support contact support@rawstory.com.
