The woman whose political heyday was outlasted by a lettuce is trying to grow her base among Donald Trump’s allies
About 18 months ago, Liz Truss wielded considerable authority as the UK Prime Minister and leader of the Conservative Party, with the power to influence Her Majesty’s government and command the nation's nuclear arsenal. However, her recent appearance at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Washington, D.C., presented a starkly different image. Addressing a sparsely filled ballroom, Truss found herself in a diminished position compared to her previous stature. CPAC, once a platform for conservative luminaries like Ronald Reagan and Mitt Romney, has evolved into a Trump-centric gathering. Truss made her CPAC debut at an impromptu "international summit" alongside Nigel Farage, the former UKIP MEP and Brexit Party leader, who has become increasingly involved in supporting Donald Trump's political endeavors since Brexit.
Farage has long enjoyed popularity among the American far-right and is a regular CPAC attendee. Truss's presence at CPAC seems indicative of a new strategy to cultivate support in the United States and forge alliances within the populist, antidemocratic circles inhabited by figures like Trump, Farage, and former Trump adviser Steve Bannon. This move suggests an effort to establish herself within the same political milieu as these influential personalities. Truss's participation at CPAC reflects a calculated effort to tap into the networks of influence and support cultivated by figures like Trump and Farage. By aligning herself with this populist and antidemocratic movement, she seeks to broaden her political reach and establish transatlantic alliances.
