Never Trump Republicans gathered outside Washington on Saturday and Sunday for their sixth annual summit, but the half-empty convention hall in National Harbor, Maryland and the absence of any sitting Republican officials signaled the movement’s dwindling influence within the GOP. Attendees at the Principles First conference warned that President Trump and his allies are dismantling American democracy. Not a single current Republican elected official participated in the two-day event.

The summit illustrates a central tension in Republican politics ahead of the 2026 midterms: While Never Trump Republicans continue to warn of existential threats to democracy, they have become largely powerless within their former party, yet remain hopeful that Democratic gains can check Trump’s power.

The convention hall in National Harbor, Maryland could have fit thousands of people, but organizers set up about 750 chairs for the sixth annual Principles First summit. Many sat empty.

The half-empty convention hall underscored the Never Trump movement’s diminished standing: the coalition of Republicans, former Republicans, and independents who banded together in opposition to Trump’s rise has become largely powerless within the party it once dominated.

John McDowell, a 69-year-old former lifelong Republican from San Carlos, California, acknowledged the movement’s diminished standing. “It’s just a fact. We’re losing good people,” McDowell said. “The party is becoming more and more MAGA-fied.”

Not a single current Republican elected official participated in the two-day event, a testament to how thoroughly Trump has consolidated control of the GOP.

The Core Warnings

Despite the sparse attendance, speakers at the summit issued unsparing critiques of Trump’s presidency and its effects on the Republican Party and the nation.

Former Republican Rep. Joe Walsh warned against minimizing the threat Trump poses. “He’s everything our founders feared. Say it. Believe it,” Walsh said. “He’s an authoritarian-embracing cult. And it’s a threat to everything I love.”

Bill Kristol, a former Republican operative and founder of the Weekly Standard magazine, described Trump and his congressional allies as “an existential threat” to the nation. Yet Kristol expressed confidence in the midterm outlook. “Democrats are almost certain to win the House,” he said, “could possibly win the Senate, and have a good chance to win the presidency in 2028.”

Retired Gen. Mark Hertling, who once commanded U.S. Army forces in Europe, said he remains haunted by questions from international allies about whether American institutions 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.

The White House Response

The Trump administration offered a dismissive response to the gathering.

“These are a bunch of deranged has-been politicians,” said Abigail Jackson, a White House spokesperson. “The only people who will pay attention to this event are the journalists who are forced to cover it.”

A Strategic Calculus

Nearly all attendees said they are actively supporting Democratic victories in the midterms — a position that has made the Never Trump movement, in effect, an auxiliary force for the opposing party.

Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who once advised Trump, attempted to strike an optimistic note. He cited recent AP-NORC polling showing that one in four Republicans nationwide disapprove 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. “I am willing to bet you that by next February, this room is going to be twice the size of what it is now.”

Rich Logis, an ex-MAGA activist now wearing a red “I left MAGA” hat, said he hopes to see “an electoral revolt against MAGA” in the midterms. “I think there’s a shift in our country right now,” Logis said.

The Hope Factor

Brittany Martinez, executive director of Principles First, acknowledged leaving her career as a Republican staffer on Capitol Hill because she could no longer endure the environment. Yet she expressed hope for the future.

“I hope that Republicans continue to wake up,” Martinez said. “I do think that those folks exist. And I hope that they exist in greater numbers.”