Trump’s return at CPAC puts GOP divisions back in the spotlight

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• Judy Woodruff:

  Former President Trump might be out of office, but he still takes center stage in the Republican Party.

  In a moment, Amna Nawaz talks with our Politics Monday.

  Yamiche Alcindor begins with this report.

• Yamiche Alcindor:

  Former President Donald Trump back in the spotlight and eager to take charge of the GOP.

• Donald Trump:

  Do you miss me yet? Do you miss me yet?

  (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

• Yamiche Alcindor:

  Despite his election loss, he made clear that he wants to play a major role in the future of the party.

• Donald Trump:

  We have the Republican Party. It's going to unite and be stronger than ever before.

  (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

• Donald Trump:

  I am not starting a new party. That was fake news.

• Yamiche Alcindor:

  He also wasted no time going after President Biden.

• Donald Trump:

  We have gone from America first to America last.

• Yamiche Alcindor:

  Trump's path forward for the Republican Party is familiar. It's culture wars and railing against President Biden's immigration plans and other policies.

  Trump made no mention of the violent mob of his supporters that just weeks ago attacked the U.S. Capitol. Rioters tried to block the certification of Joe Biden as president and threatened to hang former Vice President Mike Pence.

  Five people died in the attack, including a police officer. Despite all that, Trump repeated the lie that stirred the attack. He falsely claimed that he won the 2020 election and teased another run in 2024.

• Donald Trump:

  But who knows. Who knows. I may even decide to beat them for a third time. OK? Beat them for a third time.

  (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

• Yamiche Alcindor:

  For more than half of conference attendees, Trump remains their top choice for a 2024 GOP candidate.

  But while he said he wanted to unify the party, Trump also targeted the Republican lawmakers who voted to impeach him for inciting the Capitol insurrection.

• Donald Trump:

  Mitt Romney, little Ben Sasse, Richard Burr, Bill Cassidy, Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, Pat Toomey, and of course, the warmonger, a person that loves seeing our troops fighting, Liz Cheney. How about that?

  (BOOING)

• Donald Trump:

  The good news is, in her state, she's been censured. Get rid of them all.

• Yamiche Alcindor:

  At the conference, in another sign of his support with the party's base, attendees flocked around a golden statue of Trump to take pictures.

• Man:

  So, we believe that Trump, yes, is the heart and soul of the GOP. And they can't ignore him.

• Yamiche Alcindor:

  Meanwhile, several Republicans have pushed back, including Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy.

• Sen. Bill Cassidy:

  But, if we idolize one person, we will lose, and that's kind of clear from the last election.

• Rep. Adam Kinzinger:

  This president has done nothing but reflect people's darkness back to them, reflect their fears back to them.

• Yamiche Alcindor:

  And Illinois Congressman Adam Kinzinger.

• Adam Kinzinger:

  What you could see at that speech yesterday was recycling old talking points, just stream of consciousness. And I think it's obvious there's no vision from Donald Trump.

• Yamiche Alcindor:

  Both men voted to impeach Trump the second time, and both have been censured by local Republican parties in their states.

  For the "PBS NewsHour," I'm Yamiche Alcindor.