President Donald Trump received an enthusiastic response on Friday during his keynote address to the 2018 Conservative Political Action Conference — but the reception was not quite universal.
At one point, as Trump spoke about cutting taxes, his signature legislative achievement, he was interrupted by a heckler, who shouted, “You’re a traitor.”
MSNBC reporter Garrett Haake even reported that a Russian flag was unfurled.
Protestor just interrupts @realDonaldTrump – throws Russian flags in the air as he gets removed by security. #CPAC
— Garrett Haake (@GarrettHaake) February 23, 2018
The heckler didn’t get very much beyond that and was swiftly drowned out by pro-Trump chanting before being escorted out by security.
When it was over, Trump addressed the media assembled at the back of the hall of the Gaylord National Resort & Convention center and urged them not to make a big deal of the moment in their coverage.
“Just for the media, the fake news back there. They took very good care of him. They were very gentle. He was very obnoxious. It was only one person,” said Trump. “One person, folks, doesn’t deserve a mention, doesn’t deserve a headline.”
“We have thousands of people here,” he noted before predicting: “Tomorrow the headline will be ‘Protesters Disturb Trump’ … The headline tomorrow: ‘Disrupters of CPAC’ — and he was very nice. We looked at him and he immediately left.”
The speech was otherwise met with cheers from the cavernous convention center. Trump offered a rendition of his usual red meat talking points, including reiterating his support for arming teachers as a way to curb gun violence in schools. In a departure from NRA talking points, he also again voiced his support for expanded federal background checks for gun purchases — a long held liberal priority.
Trump at #CPAC2018 "We really to have to strengthen up background checks"
— Jon Levine (@LevineJonathan) February 23, 2018
Trump also recited a version of Al Wilson’s “The Snake” — a campaign favorite which was received with particular enthusiasm by attendees.