Never Trump Republicans are still issuing dire warnings. Is anyone listening?

Never Trump Republicans gathered at the sixth annual Principles First summit in National Harbor, Maryland over the weekend of February 22-23, 2026, repeatedly warning that President Donald Trump and his allies in Congress are damaging American democracy. The event featured stark assessments from former elected officials, conservative writers, and military leaders who characterized the current Republican party as an 'authoritarian-embracing cult' and Trumpism as an 'existential threat' to the nation. Despite the gravity of their warnings, the convention hall was only half-filled with approximately 750 attendees in a venue capable of hosting thousands, and no current Republican elected officials participated in the two-day program. The diminished gathering represents what remains of the Grand Old Party's Never Trump movement, a coalition that formed as Trump consolidated power within the Republican party. These largely political exiles find themselves neither fully accepted by Democrats nor comfortable with the direction of their former party, which they say has abandoned longstanding Republican commitments to free trade and limited government. John McDowell, a 69-year-old former lifelong Republican who served as a Capitol Hill staffer and county Republican official from San Carlos, California, acknowledged the group has virtually 'zero' political clout within the party. 'It's just a fact. We're losing good people,' McDowell said. 'The party is becoming more and more MAGA-fied.' White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson dismissed the criticism from what she called 'a bunch of deranged has-been politicians,' suggesting only journalists would pay attention to the event. Despite their marginalized position, attendees expressed optimism about the upcoming midterm elections, with many openly rooting for Democratic victories. 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,' Christie said, predicting the movement would grow after the midterms. Former MAGA supporter Rich Logis, wearing a red 'I left MAGA' hat, hopes to see 'an electoral revolt against MAGA' in the fall elections, saying 'I think there's a shift in our country right now. It happens slowly.'