NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. (AP) — Over and over, the Republicans and former Republicans who gathered just outside Washington this weekend warned that President Donald Trump and his allies in Congress are tearing at the very fabric of American democracy.
A former congressman described the president's party as an “authoritarian-embracing cult.” A prominent conservative writer said Trumpism is an "existential threat." And a retired Army general, his voice shaking with emotion, cited post-Nazi Germany as a roadmap for the nation's post-Trump recovery.
It's unclear how many people are listening.
The main convention hall at the sixth annual Principles First summit on Saturday and Sunday was half empty. About 750 chairs were set up in a room that could have fit thousands, and many were unfilled. Not a single current Republican elected official participated in the two-day program.
This is what remains of the Grand Old Party’s Never Trump movement, a coalition of Republicans, former Republicans and independents who banded together as Trump consolidated power. They largely remain political exiles — not quite at home among Democrats yet disgusted by how the president has abandoned Republicans' longstanding commitments to free trade and limited government.
John McDowell, 69, who was a lifelong Republican before Trump’s emergence, acknowledged that the diminished group had virtually “zero” political clout within his former party.
“It’s just a fact. We’re losing good people,” said McDowell, a former Capitol Hill staffer and county Republican official from San Carlos, California. “The party is becoming more and more MAGA-fied.”
White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson dismissed all the criticism from what she called “a bunch of deranged has-been politicians.”
“The only people who will pay attention to this event are the journalists who are forced to cover it,” she said.
Virtually everyone who gathered at the hotel in National Harbor, Maryland, said they are rooting for Democratic victories in this fall's midterm elections. One of the only Democrats there was Conor Lamb, a former congressman from Pennsylvania who lost his party's primary to John Fetterman four years ago.
Despite dire concerns, there was a slight sense of optimism among the half-empty convention hall and quiet hotel hallways.
Several people cheered last week’s Supreme Court decision to strike down Trump’s tariffs, the economic tool he has wielded without congressional approval in his attempt to force friends and foes around the globe to bend to his will. Trump insisted he would implement a new round of tariffs despite the ruling.
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, a former Trump adviser, highlighted recent AP-NORC polling showing that 1 in 4 Republicans nationwide do not approve of Trump's job performance.
“It’s like any show that’s on TV for a long time — the ratings start to go down. And the ratings are going down,” Christie said. “I am willing to bet you that by next February, this room is going to be twice the size of what it is now. After the midterms, you watch.”
Ex-MAGA diehard Rich Logis, wearing a red “I left MAGA hat,” hopes to see “an electoral revolt against MAGA” in the midterms.
“I think there’s a shift in our country right now," he said. "It happens slowly."
Logis was promoting support groups for friends and family of Trump loyalists at a table outside the convention hall. Nearby, someone was selling books about how to escape cults.
At the podium, former Republican Rep. Joe Walsh implored Trump's critics not to downplay the seriousness of the threat the president poses to the nation.
“He’s everything our founders feared. Say it. Believe it,” Walsh said. He said his former party is “an authoritarian-embracing cult" and "a threat to everything I love.”
Retired Gen. Mark Hertling, who once commanded the U.S. Army's European forces, said he's “haunted” by allies who ask him “whether American institutions ever can be trusted again.”
“Our nation's institutions have been shaken. Our alliances have been strained. Our credibility has been damaged. And our nation’s values have been cast aside,” Hertling said. He suggested the U.S. should look to the reconstruction of Germany after the defeat of Nazism if it hoped to to restore the damage caused by Trump and his allies.
The nation's recovery, he said as his voiced cracked, would be something people have to earn over many years.
Bill Kristol, who worked in previous Republican administrations and helped found the Weekly Standard magazine, described Trump and his Republican supporters in Congress as “an existential threat” to the nation. But he was also optimistic about the upcoming midterm elections.
Kristol said Democrats are “almost certain to win the House,” “could possibly win the Senate,” and have “a good chance to win the presidency” in 2028.
Brittany Martinez, executive director of the host organization Principles First, also tried to cast an optimistic tone, even after describing the many reasons why she couldn't bear to continue her career as a Republican staffer on Capitol Hill.
“I hope that Republicans continue to wake up,” she said. “I do think that those folks exist. And I hope that they exist in greater numbers.”
FILE - Republican presidential candidate former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie speaks during a gathering, June 6, 2023, in Manchester, N.H. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File)
MILAN (AP) — When organizers designed the 4 Nations Face-Off to be played in February 2025, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said the intent was for it to serve as an appetizer for hockey at the Olympics.
What it turned out to be, beyond a smashing success that put the sport firmly in the limelight, was a blueprint for the U.S. and Canada to build their rosters. The tournament was the first in international play to feature the best in the world in nearly a decade. The lessons learned informed what USA Hockey and Hockey Canada did over the past year.
It worked, especially for the U.S., which beat Canada 2-1 in an overtime thriller Sunday to win Olympic gold and silence the critics who were unhappy about the decision to leave four of the top 10 American scorers in the league — Jason Robertson, Lane Hutson, Cole Caufield and Alex DeBrincat — home.
U.S. general manager Bill Guerin and his group opted to bring back forwards like Vincent Trocheck and J.T. Miller, who could kill penalties and defend. The U.S. wanted players who could do specific jobs and also be versatile to move around the lineup, with coach Mike Sullivan making changes along the way.
“One of the things that Billy Guerin and I talked about from the very beginning was trying to build a team in the true sense of the word, so we looked at a deep group of American talent and these decisions were very difficult,” Sullivan said. “They weren’t easy. You look at how this group is constructed, there was a thought process that we had players that could play in all situations.”
Guerin insisted the U.S. “didn’t build our team just to play Canada.”
“We built the best team possible,” Guerin said. "We feel that we built the best team possible. We did that with us in mind. We’re worried about us, not anybody else.”
Canada brought six new players who were not at 4 Nations, and injuries to Brayden Point and Anthony Cirelli cleared the way for Sam Bennett and Seth Jarvis. One of the newcomers is 19-year-old Macklin Celebrini, who has turned heads since he was an NHL rookie in the fall of 2024.
“I didn’t even know I was on the radar or even in the conversation,” Celebrini said. “When (GM Doug Armstrong) brought that to my attention, it was a little bit of a push and excitement —- just a little bit more of something that I can look forward to and work to.”
Celebrini was one of Canada's best players with 10 points heading into the gold medal game, behind only tournament leader and teammate Connor McDavid.
“He’s got a lot of skill and a lot of confidence,” winger Mitch Marner said. “He’s not afraid of the big moments.”
Another new addition, Nick Suzuki, scored the tying goal when Canada trailed with less than four minutes left in the quarterfinals. Tom Wilson started on right wing with Celebrini, and McDavid has brought size and physicality — and even fisticuffs — to the Olympics.
Canada changed out two goaltenders, picking Logan Thompson and Darcy Kuemper this time, but coach Jon Cooper always had Jordan Binnington written in as the starter. Cooper made up his mind immediately after Binnington backstopped Canada to the win at 4 Nations, and the 32-year-old netminder's play over his first four starts validated that decision.
“You don’t have to be a scout to see what he did in the Stanley Cup (Final), what he did in the 4 Nations, and there’s a massive belief,” Armstrong said, referring to Binnington and the St. Louis Blues winning the NHL championship in 2019. “When players see that time and time again, that’s just a foundation that they know that, ‘OK, when push comes to shove, we have faith in this guy,’ and I think that’s where they are with Binner.”
The U.S. relied primarily on Connor Hellebuyck, who starred at the 4 Nations and is the reigning NHL MVP and Vezina Trophy winner as the league’s best goalie. He had perhaps the best game of his life against Canada in the final, stopping 41 of the 42 shots he faced to give Jack Hughes the chance to join him as American heroes by scoring the golden goal in overtime.
“If it weren’t for him today, that game would have looked a lot different,” Miller said. “He was amazing.”
AP Winter Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics
The gold medal is pictured after the men's ice hockey gold medal game between Canada and the United States at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)
United States players celebrate after scoring during a men's ice hockey gold medal game between Canada and the United States at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)
Team United States stands together during the playing of the national anthem after defeating Canada in overtime to win the men's ice hockey gold medal game at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
ADDS ID FOR CHILDREN United States players pose for pictures with the jersey of the late Johnny Gaudreau (13) with his daughter Noa and son Johnny after their win over Canada in the men's ice hockey gold medal game at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
United States players celebrate after defeating Canada in a men's ice hockey gold medal game between Canada and the United States at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
United States' JT Miller (10) challenges with Slovakia's Martin Fehervary (42) during a men's ice hockey semifinal game between the United States and Slovakia at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Friday, Feb. 20, 2026. (Bruce Bennett/Pool Photo via AP)
Canada's Nathan MacKinnon (29) celebrates with Sam Reinhart (13) and Macklin Celebrini (17) after MacKinnon scored a goal against Finland during the third period of a men's ice hockey semifinal game at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, Friday, Feb. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
United States players line up to congratulate goalkeeper Connor Hellebuyck (37) after their win over Slovakia in a men's ice hockey semifinal game at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, Friday, Feb. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Canada goalkeeper Jordan Binnington (50) is congratulated after Canada's 3-2 win over Finland in a men's ice hockey semifinal game at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, Friday, Feb. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
