By Sam Barron | Monday, 22 December 2025 06:07 PM EST
Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) Chair Matt Schlapp issued a warning to Republicans on Monday that their internal divisions threaten electoral prospects.
Schlapp appeared recently on a conservative talk show following Turning Point USA’s annual conference in Phoenix, where speakers including Ben Shapiro, Megyn Kelly, Steve Bannon, and Tucker Carlson engaged in public disputes.
“We have this situation where [President] Donald Trump has knit together these very interesting political coalitions,” Schlapp said. “This is his second term, and he’s already a year into that second term. And naturally, people are beginning to say, ‘OK, who’s the next leader?’”
Schlapp noted much of the animosity observed centered on celebrities competing for audience attention rather than grassroots conservatives. “For the Republicans, the [midterm] elections are less than 11 months away,” Schlapp added. “If we all spend all of our time fighting each other, we’re just going to hand it over to the socialists and the Marxists.”
He stressed that despite disagreements within the MAGA movement, supporters remain united in backing Trump’s agenda. “Overall, these people are for Trump,” Schlapp stated. “I think we can keep this together for a number of years and have even more victories.”
Schlapp emphasized the coalition must exclude antisemites and bigots while focusing on shared goals to support Trump. “He is a transformational leader,” Schlapp said. “He’s doing things we’ve always wanted to have happen.”
“No one had the guts to do it. We got to support him,” Schlapp added. The CPAC chair warned that Republican infighting could lead to electoral defeat by pro-communist forces within 11 months. “It’s like letting some of the dirty laundry in the family,” Schlapp continued. “I have five daughters. I’m used to this. We can all agree on one thing, I promise.”
