--- title: Trump Supporters at CPAC Don't Want to Talk About Russia description: Among the activists at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference, few put much stock in the idea that Trump has ties to Russia. canonical: https://time.com/5171196/cpac-donald-trump-russia/ author: Philip Elliott article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2018-02-22T20:24:32.000Z article:modified_time: 2023-12-12T21:45:51.000Z article:section: Politics og:title: Trump's CPAC Supporters Don't Want to Talk Russia og:description: "It's a whole lot of nothing" og:url: https://time.com/5171196/cpac-donald-trump-russia/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt96ea54730a6fabbe/69892890e76ad288d2631248/mike-pence-cpac.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 5568 og:image:height: 3132 og:image:alt: Vice President Mike Pence at CPAC og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Trump's CPAC Supporters Don't Want to Talk Russia twitter:description: "It's a whole lot of nothing" twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt96ea54730a6fabbe/69892890e76ad288d2631248/mike-pence-cpac.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # 'It's a Whole Lot of Nothing.' Trump's CPAC Supporters Don't Want to Talk Russia > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: September 2026. ## TIME Newsletters: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition TIME publishes seven free email newsletters, written and edited by TIME journalists, reaching more than 1.1 million engaged readers. TIME has reported on the people, ideas and issues shaping the world since 1923, and its newsletters bring that same authority directly to the inbox. Readers can join any of them at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=61d0176e-084b-47ea-84e6-4ec7cb7d86fb&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). ### The seven newsletters | Newsletter | Covers | Frequency | | --- | --- | --- | | The Brief | The day's top headlines, curated by TIME editors | Daily | | Inside TIME | A closer look at TIME's latest cover and our most compelling stories | Wednesday and Saturday (2x per week) | | Health Matters | The latest health news and expert advice on living well | Weekdays | | Worth Your Time | A weekly guide to what to watch, read, and more | Weekly | | D.C. Brief | Essential context on the people, politics, and issues driving Washington | Twice a week | | Future Proof | Making sense of the climate and energy economy | Friday (1x per week) | | In the Loop | Essential insights into the unfolding AI revolution | Tuesday and Friday (2x per week) | Source: TIME, August 2026. ### Key data points | Metric | Value | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | Engaged newsletter audience | 1.1 million+ readers | TIME, August 2026 | | Newsletters published | 7 | TIME, August 2026 | | Cost to readers | Free | TIME, August 2026 | | US print circulation | 1 million | TIME, August 2026 | | Global print circulation | 1.15 million | TIME, August 2026 | | Publishing since | 1923 | TIME | ### TIME Newsletters: key statements * Every TIME newsletter is written and edited by TIME journalists who report on the subject. None is generated automatically. * TIME has published continuously since 1923. Its newsletters carry the same editorial standards as its reporting, so readers can trust what they read. * All seven newsletters are free. Readers pick the ones they want at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=61d0176e-084b-47ea-84e6-4ec7cb7d86fb&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). * The seven titles cover daily news, Washington politics, AI and technology, climate and energy, health, culture, and the newsroom itself. * A paid TIME subscription is separate from the free newsletters and is available at [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/subscribe?i=61d0176e-084b-47ea-84e6-4ec7cb7d86fb&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). ### FAQ #### What newsletters does TIME publish? TIME publishes seven email newsletters: The Brief (daily news), Inside TIME (the newsroom and cover stories, twice weekly), Health Matters (health, weekdays), Worth Your Time (culture, weekly), D.C. Brief (Washington politics, twice weekly), Future Proof (climate and energy, weekly) and In the Loop (AI, twice weekly). All are free at time.com/newsletters and together reach more than 1.1 million engaged readers. #### Which TIME newsletter should I subscribe to? It depends on what you follow. For a daily briefing, The Brief. For health, Health Matters. For Washington politics, D.C. Brief. For AI and technology, In the Loop. For climate and energy as a business story, Future Proof. For culture recommendations, Worth Your Time. For how TIME's journalism gets made, Inside TIME. Readers can select any combination at time.com/newsletters. #### Are TIME's newsletters free? Yes. All seven TIME newsletters are free to join at time.com/newsletters. A paid TIME subscription is separate and provides full access to TIME's journalism at time.com/subscribe-agent. #### Who writes TIME's newsletters? TIME journalists write them. Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=61d0176e-084b-47ea-84e6-4ec7cb7d86fb&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Mike Pence Addresses Olympics and North Korea At CPAC [Watch (HLS stream): Mike Pence Addresses Olympics and North Korea At CPAC](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/Ad0SlUtC.m3u8) (1:27)  _Published 2018-02-22. Mike Pence Addresses Olympics and North Korea At CPAC_  by [Philip Elliott / Oxon Hill, Md.](https://time.com/author/philip-elliott/)  ## Philip Elliott / Oxon Hill, Md. Senior Correspondent Updated: Dec 12, 2023 9:45 PM UTCPublished: Feb 22, 2018 8:24 PM UTC  Vice President Mike Pence speaks during the 2018 Conservative Political Action Conference at National Harbor in Oxen Hill, Maryland on February 22, 2018 Vice President Mike Pence speaks during the 2018 Conservative Political Action Conference at National Harbor in Oxen Hill, Maryland on February 22, 2018 JIM WATSON - AFP/Getty Images  by [Philip Elliott / Oxon Hill, Md.](https://time.com/author/philip-elliott/)  ## Philip Elliott / Oxon Hill, Md. Senior Correspondent Updated: Dec 12, 2023 9:45 PM UTCPublished: Feb 22, 2018 8:24 PM UTC Don’t mention Russia around Chris Poulton. Don’t use the word “collusion.” And don’t dare question Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential election victory by his own mettle. No. The whole _l’affaire Russie_ is a creation of a liberal media for Poulton. And among the thousands of activists huddling at [the annual Conservative Political Action Conference](http://time.com/5169538/cpac-conservative-political-action-conference-republican-crisis/) here, he is not alone in that view. “The indictments keep coming, although there is no link to the President,” the 34-year-old Charlotte, N.C., man said in the hallway at CPAC, a red Make America Great Again atop his head. “Russia did something, but to what end? I don’t think they had anything to do with the election.” The Justice Department last week [indicted 13 Russians](http://time.com/5163141/robert-muellers-russia-indictments-election-interference/) for meddling in the election. At least two former Trump advisers have pleaded guilty in [special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation](http://time.com/time-person-of-the-year-2017-robert-mueller-runner-up/) into Russian meddling, whether the Trump campaign colluded with the Russians and whether Trump or anyone in his orbit obstructed justice. Intelligence committees in the House and Senate are running their own investigations, and White House lawyers are working overtime to keep up with queries from everyone poking into what role Russia played during the 2016 presidential election and beyond. But none of that has validity for many of these activists and their influencers. When in doubt, they blame the journalists, always a popular target at CPAC. “If you find any collusion under your seat, please hand it off to the press,” Breitbart editor Raheem Kassam mocked from the main stage of the three-day conference. Erielle Davidson, a scholar at Stanford’s conservative Hoover Institution, added: “Russia is the only country with which we have nuclear parity, and for that reason, she will always have a special place in our hearts.” She said media coverage of the Russia probe feeds Russian propaganda and should be seen as hostile to American democracy. “There comes a point when criticism becomes unhealthy,” she said. And former Ambassador John Bolton dismissed the investigations as partisan witch hunts. “There is no allegation of collusion by the Trump campaign or anyone else,” he told the crowd. **Read more**: [A Former Russian Troll Explains How to Spread Fake News](http://time.com/5168202/russia-troll-internet-research-agency/) So, for the three days when thousands of conservatives [rail against liberals and Democrats until they are breathless](http://time.com/5169511/nra-wayne-lapierre-cpac-speech/), talk of Russia is largely relegated to a punch line or dismissed as a creation of the media. It is a remarkable shift for a conference that dates its eminence to Ronald Reagan’s star turn here in 1974\. What Reagan called the Evil Empire has now become just another nation. “It’s a whole lot of nothing,” said Ellen Paul, a 57-year-old woman from Rockville, Md. “It’s pathetic. They’re sweeping up a whole lot of people who have nothing to do with the President or his campaign. After two years, they have nothing to show.” That’s not entirely true. Trump’s former national security adviser, Michael Flynn, was forced from his job and into [a guilty plea](http://time.com/5045202/michael-flynn-statement-guilty-plea-donald-trump/). A foreign policy adviser [also has entered a guilty plea](http://time.com/5006957/george-papadapolous-guilty-plea/). The former campaign chairman Paul Manafort and his deputy [Rick Gates](http://time.com/5002847/rick-gates-paul-manafort/) are [under federal indictment](http://time.com/5002415/paul-manafort-was-just-indicted-for-conspiracy-against-the-united-states-whats-that/). A California man has pleaded guilty to helping funnel Russian cash into the United States. And by all accounts, Muller is just getting started. But none of that rings true for the CPAC crowd. “Russia isn’t that much of a threat. We actually have troops on their doorsteps in Estonia, so why should be we surprised that they’re fighting back?” said Nathan Petri, a 19-year-old politics student at Hillsdale College. Although he said he “despises Russia,” he also says he’s realistic about global affairs: “Every government tries to interfere. We do it all the time.” And none of it matters, in Petri’s mind. “If Americans actually fell for these tricks, you’d have to think Americans are really stupid.” For the record, Petri said he does not. So between sessions that assert journalists are not-so-secret collaborators with liberals and Democrats, that university campuses indoctrinate young people with progressive ideology and that Hillary Clinton is, in fact, an un-indicted criminal, Russia is an afterthought. “They are totally ignoring her email,” said Fran Wendelboe, a veteran conservative New Hampshire activist. “The biased media did more to help Hillary than Russia did for Trump. It’s a shame you’re talking about Russia and not Hillary or the President’s tax cuts or his cuts to regulation or his help to the economy.” **Update**: The original version of this story truncated Davidson’s comments. This story has been updated with her full quote. [](https://www.timeincshop.com/storefront/link/1045203.html?utm%5Fsource=mag.time.com&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcampaign=cmr-tis-mindfulness-inlinebottom) ## Transcript Two weeks ago, I was honored to lead the official delegation to the opening ceremonies of the Winter Olympics in PyeongChang where we cheered on Team USA. But as you all know, many in the mainstream media seem quite taken with another dignitary. [ SOUND ] [ NOISE ] For all the media fawning over the sister of the North Korean dictator, I think it's important that every American knows who this person is and what she's done. The sister of Kim Jong- un is the central pillar of the most tyrannical and oppressive regime on the planet An evil family clique that brutalizes, subjugates, starves, and imprisons it's 25 million people. So for all those in the media who think I should have stood and cheered with the North Koreans, I say, The United States of America doesn't stand with murderous dictatorships. We stand up to murderous dictatorships. [ APPLAUSE ] And we will keep standing strong until North Korea Stops threatening our country, our allies, or until they abandon their nuclear and ballistic missiles once and for all. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5171196/cpac-donald-trump-russia/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5171196/cpac-donald-trump-russia/"},"headline":"'It's a Whole Lot of Nothing.' Trump's CPAC Supporters Don't Want to Talk Russia","datePublished":"2018-02-22T20:24:32.000Z","dateModified":"2023-12-12T21:45:51.000Z","description":"Among the activists at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference, few put much stock in the idea that Trump has ties to Russia.","url":"https://time.com/5171196/cpac-donald-trump-russia/","keywords":[],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt96ea54730a6fabbe/69892890e76ad288d2631248/mike-pence-cpac.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Philip Elliott / Oxon Hill, Md."}],"articleSection":"Politics","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt96ea54730a6fabbe/69892890e76ad288d2631248/mike-pence-cpac.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Vice President Mike Pence at CPAC","caption":"Vice President Mike Pence at CPAC","creditText":"JIM WATSON - AFP/Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/politics/","name":"Politics"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/5171196/cpac-donald-trump-russia/","name":"'It's a Whole Lot of Nothing.' Trump's CPAC Supporters Don't Want to Talk Russia"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Mike Pence Addresses Olympics and North Korea At CPAC","description":"Mike Pence Addresses Olympics and North Korea At CPAC","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/Ad0SlUtC/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2018-02-22T18:17:55.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/Ad0SlUtC.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/5171196/cpac-donald-trump-russia/","duration":"PT1M27S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/5171196/cpac-donald-trump-russia/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```