'That Was the Wrong Answer' — CPAC Host Schlapp Rattled After His Own Audience Demands Trump Impeachment

A moment meant to energise conservatives at one of America's biggest right-wing gatherings turned sharply uncomfortable on Friday, when the audience at the 2026 Conservative Political Action Conference in Grapevine, Texas cheered — not once, but twice — for impeachment hearings against President Donald Trump. The awkward exchange was captured on video and spread rapidly online, becoming one of the more notable moments to emerge from this year's conference.

Matt Schlapp, chairman of the American Conservative Union and the organisational force behind CPAC, had posed what he appeared to intend as a rhetorical crowd-warmer. 'How many of you would like to see impeachment hearings?' Schlapp asked the crowd, only for a wave of cheers to erupt in response. Visibly caught off guard, Schlapp shook his head and said with an awkward smile, 'No — that was the wrong answer. Let me try it again: how many of you would like to see impeachment hearings?'

A Second Attempt That Fell Flat

The follow-up fared no better. Schlapp's second attempt drew a more mixed response, with some still cheering and others booing. He attempted to laugh the moment off, then gestured to event staff with a quip: 'Can someone bring some coffee out for the people at CPAC?'

The exchange was not the only sign of a subdued atmosphere inside the conference hall. Dozens of seats remained empty, and speakers at times had to encourage the audience to engage. At one point, Mercedes Schlapp had to prod the crowd to boo when someone mentioned former President Joe Biden. Trump himself was absent — he is expected to skip the event for the first time since 2016, with Vice President JD Vance also not on the schedule.

Fractures Beneath the Surface

The impeachment moment landed against a backdrop of widening unease within the MAGA movement. Divisions within the coalition over the conflict with Iran, Trump's relationship with Israel, and the administration's handling of the Epstein files have been openly aired in conservative media in recent weeks. Day one of CPAC was framed largely as a pep rally, with speaker after speaker urging the conservative base to set internal disagreements aside ahead of the midterm elections.

Chairman Schlapp and his wife Mercedes implored the crowd gathered at the Gaylord Texan not to allow Democrats to coast to victory this November due to conservative disagreements. The impeachment cheer suggested the mood on the floor did not always align with the message coming from the stage. Kyle Sills, a local political consultant, put it plainly: 'There's a lot of bickering and infighting going on. And I think it's time we come together and let's see what we can do.'

CPAC has served as a barometer of conservative sentiment since its founding in 1964. The fact that a CPAC audience would respond to an impeachment question with cheers — and do so twice — reflects the unease now present even among the movement's most committed attendees. With midterm elections approaching and prominent figures including Tucker Carlson publicly criticising the administration's Iran policy, the fractured reaction in Grapevine has drawn attention from Republican strategists monitoring the party's cohesion ahead of November.