‘Don’t ruin cat fights’: The most bizarre things said so far at CPAC 2024

A sleepy and half-empty CPAC convened for its first gathering in 2024 at the Gaylord National Conference Center in National Harbor, Maryland, but there were still plenty of wild and unsubstantiated claims to be had.

Here are some of the most bizarre things said so far:

US Rep Byron Donalds (R-FL) speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) annual meeting in National Harbor, Maryland, U.S., February 22, 2024

Former President Donald Trump, who’s set to speak on Saturday night, regularly rants about windmills and how they kill whales. No, really.

Florida Rep Byron Donalds appeared on stage in National Harbor on Thursday, saying that “in our economy, we need leadership” to counteract “this… Green New Deal stuff, which by the way, isn’t even that green”.

“It’s not even that green when you go on to read the studies. These solar panels are dirtier than natural gas. These wind turbines, there have been more men and women who have died from wind turbines than nuclear power,” he said. “That is a fact.”

“More people have died from maintaining wind turbines than have died from nuclear power plants. But you gotta have leadership that’s going to tell the truth and set America on the track going forward. We shouldn’t be chasing green technology just to chase green technology, we should be chasing the cheapest and most readily available form of energy so all of our people can be successful,” he added.

As you can imagine, Mr Donaldsdoesn’t believe recent extreme weather events are connected to the climate crisis.

U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) annual meeting in National Harbor, Maryland, U.S., February 22, 2024

Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville