Mike Tyson, Ted Nugent and Russell Brand to join Trump at Mar-a-Lago gala: What's it about?
The Mar-a-Lago gala is hosted by America's Future, whose chairman is Mike Flynn. Flynn was Trump's first national security adviser during his initial White House term. Flynn is a far-right political figure who now resides in Southwest Florida, and the group's mission includes a focus on child trafficking through the southern border.
The gathering is the final event in the president's six-day Presidents Day stay at the Winter White House, the longest of his three sojourns to Palm Beach in his new term. During his first administration, Trump spent all four Presidents Day weekends at Mar-a-Lago, but never for as long as this one. Trump is to leave Mar-a-Lago Wednesday for Miami.
So what is the America's Future gala all about? Here are five things to know.
The organization was founded in 1946 and its website lists its mission as to "fight to preserve American values and ideals, protect the nation's Constitutional Republic, promote strong American families, revitalize the role of faith in our society, and advance the virtues of free market capitalism."
It adds: "Under a set of guiding principles, America's Future strengthens American patriotism, reinforces American greatness, and re-establishes our founding fathers' framework that America is 'one nation, under God, of the people, for the people and by the people.'"
Past leaders have included retired Brigadier Gen. Robert E. Wood, a founder of the isolationist America First Committee before World War II, and conservative activist Phlylis Schafly, who vocally opposed the 1970s re-introduction of the Equal Rights Amendment.
The theme of the gala at Mar-a-Lago, the website post states, is to celebrate "American exceptionalism."
The term is the 20th Century successor to the 1800s belief in Manifest Destiny, the concept that the United States had the God-given mission to expand its borders to the Pacific Ocean.
American Exceptionalism gained particular favor after the Spanish-American War and then in the post-World War II era. It embraced the belief in the uniqueness, even moral superiority, of the United States for historical, ideological and religious reasons. Advocates and scholars of American exceptionalism often argued that the country's exceptionalism ordained it to be a special player in global politics.
That last corollary is at odds with Trump's stated "America first" guiding principles and policies toward the European alliance, the defunding of the U.S. Agency for International Development, tariffs and other foreign policy initiatives.
In addition to Tyson, Brand and Nugent, others featured include former UFC champion Colby Covington and "host committee" members Mel Gibson and Kid Rock. But it's too late to buy a ticket because the event is sold-out.
Tax-deductible tickets for the black-tie event ran from $5,000 to $10,000, however.
The webpage also has an offer to join a presidential advisory board that grants access to "briefings" with U.S. House and Senate members and state governors. Plus an "overnight stay at Mar-a-Lago," according to the site.
Flynn, a retired and respected U.S. Army lieutenant general, had a short-live tenure as Trump's top national security aide.
He lasted in the important role less than a month owing to a scandal involving contact he had with Russia's ambassador to the United States, Sergey Kislyak. Flynn reportedly misled then-Vice President Mike Pence about the communications, leading to his resignation after just 44 days in the post.
In December 2017, Flynn pleaded guilty to making false statements to the FBI about his communications with Kislyak. In November 2020, Trump issued Flynn a pardon. By then, Flynn had become a vocal advocate backing Trump's unfounded claims that the 2020 election was stolen.
Upon questioning by the congressional committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021 attack at the U.S. Capitol, Flynn invoked his constitutional right to not self-incriminate himself. He did so in a video released by the committee in which he cited the 5th amendment when asked by then-U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyoming, if Flynn believed the violence on Jan. 6 was "justified morally," "justified legally" and also if he believed "in the peaceful transition of power in the United States of America."
Tuesday evening's event comes a day after the Presidents Day holiday witnessed two streetside demonstrations in Trump's home county.
In downtown West Palm Beach, roughly 400 people assembled to show opposition to Trump administration policies chanting "Dump Trump!" and "Hey hey, ho ho, Elon has got to go!"
'Dump Trump!': Protestors rip into Trump at Presidents Day rally in downtown West Palm Beach
Not far away, dozens of the president's supporters invited by the Republican Party of Palm Beach County gathered by the entrance to his Trump International Golf Club in a show of support. They cheered as Trump emerged from the club to wave at them and offer a thumbs up.
Among those in attendance was Enrique Tarrio, the former Proud Boys leader who was convicted almost two years ago by a federal jury of sedition for his actions related to the Jan. 6 violence. Sentenced to 22 years in prison, he was released after being granted a pardon by Trump on Inauguration Day.
In addition to Tarrio, Trump also pardoned two other Proud Boys members, Ethan Nordean and Joseph Biggs. They also attended the afternoon rally.
Antonio Fins is a politics and business editor at The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach him at afins@pbpost.com. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Mike Tyson, Ted Nugent, Russell Brand to join Trump at Mar-a-Lago gala
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