OXON HILL, Md. (AP) — President Donald Trump stated on Saturday that “nobody has ever witnessed anything” akin to his administration’s expansive initiative to dismiss thousands of federal workers and reduce the size of government, commending himself for “dominating” Washington and sending bureaucrats “packing.”
Speaking to an enthusiastic audience at the Conservative Political Action Conference in the suburbs of Washington, Trump pledged, “We’re going to create a new and enduring political majority that will shape American politics for generations ahead.”
During the early days of his administration, Trump has argued that the voters’ decision in November bestowed upon him a mandate to revamp government, tighten border control between the U.S. and Mexico, and continue tax cuts that were a hallmark of his previous administration.
Transitioning seamlessly back into campaign mode during a speech extending over an hour, he predicted that the GOP would maintain its success and defy historical trends, which generally see a president’s party struggle during midterm elections. He asserted about Republicans, “I don’t think we’ve ever reached this level.”
“No one has ever seen anything like this, and no one has experienced four weeks like we just had,” Trump remarked, comparing the initial month of his new administration to a promising start in a golf game, which he claimed boosted his confidence for the subsequent holes.
Trump has enlisted Elon Musk to assist with the firings, and the billionaire asserted on Saturday that more dismissals may be forthcoming.
“In line with President @realDonaldTrump’s directives, all federal employees will soon receive an email asking for an account of their achievements from the previous week,” Musk shared on X, the platform he owns. “Not responding will be construed as a resignation.”
Trump also reiterated his commitment to implementing tougher immigration policies. However, these efforts have largely been overshadowed by his administration’s widespread federal dismissals. He declared that one agency, notably the U.S. Agency for International Development, would have its Washington office managed by Customs and Border Protection officials.
“The agency’s name has been stripped from its former building,” he mentioned.
The president further reiterated his prior assurances that his administration will scrutinize the country’s gold depository at Fort Knox.
“Would anyone like to join us?” he asked, eliciting cheers from the audience. “We want to confirm if the gold is still there.”
Nevertheless, Trump also dedicated significant portions of his address to recalling last year’s presidential campaign, mocking former President Joe Biden and mispronouncing the name of former Vice President Kamala Harris — his opponent on Election Day — gleefully stating, “I haven’t said that name in some time.”
He even brought up Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., a 2020 presidential contender.
The president expressed his frustration with immigration and border policies under Biden. “I couldn’t stand it,” Trump articulated, before tempering his tone, “Donald, don’t get angry.” He subsequently used an expletive to characterize his view on Biden’s management of border security, despite acknowledging that evangelical conservatives had urged him to refrain from using profanity.
Trump spoke more fondly of Chinese President Xi Jinping, stating, “I happen to like” him, while adding, “we’ve been treated quite unfairly by China and many other nations.”
On the sidelines of the conference, Trump connected with conservative Polish President Andrzej Duda amid escalating tensions in Europe due to Russia’s war in Ukraine. After taking the stage, Trump acknowledged Duda and Argentine President Javier Milei, who separately addressed the gathering.
Trump referred to Duda as “a fantastic man and a great friend” and remarked, “You must be doing something right, associating with Trump.” He noted that Milei shares similar political sentiments, calling him “a MAGA person too, Make Argentina Great Again.”
Duda is a populist who has maintained a close relationship with Trump in previous years. Poland remains a steadfast ally of Ukraine. Trump reversed recent U.S. policy by sending top foreign policy advisors to Saudi Arabia for direct discussions with Russian officials aimed at ceasing hostilities in Ukraine.
These discussions excluded Ukrainian or European officials, raising concerns among U.S. allies. Following his meeting with Duda, Trump is scheduled for discussions on Monday at the White House with French President Emmanuel Macron and later on Thursday with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Moreover, Trump has initiated a public dialogue with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, whom he labeled a “dictator” while incorrectly suggesting that Ukraine initiated the war — although he did acknowledge on Friday that Russia was the aggressor.
Trump stated during his address, “I’m in talks with President Zelenskyy. I’m in discussions with President Putin,” adding regarding the conflict in Ukraine, “It impacts Europe. It doesn’t really affect us.”
Zelenskyy has claimed Trump is operating within a Russian-generated “disinformation space.”
For the majority of the time since Russia’s invasion in February 2022, the United States, under Biden, assured that Ukraine would be involved in any significant efforts to resolve the conflict, pledging “nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine.” Trump’s administration has departed from this idea as the Republican president has intensified his pursuit of a resolution to the war.
“I believe we’re nearing a deal, and we must be nearing a deal,” Trump stated on Saturday about concluding the war in Ukraine.
Later that evening, the president and first lady Melania Trump were set to host a reception and dinner at the White House for the National Governors Association, which was convening its own meetings in Washington over the weekend.
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Weissert reported from Washington.
