CPAC (Conservative Political Action Conference) Day 2 finished up with a panel titled, "The President Will Sue You Now," hosted by Townhall Managing Editor Larry O'Connor. It focused on the way President Donald Trump has not only helped decimate legacy media by first challenging their lies, then successfully suing them, but how Trump and others have maximized new media to their advantage in order to disseminate the truth and debunk the traditional media narratives.
Larry acknowledged this shift, saying:
First, guys, the title of the panel, which is kind of funny: "The President Will Sue You Now," that's because the media lied about Donald Trump. We know that, right? But Donald Trump did something that no other politician has done. He sued ABC News and George Stephanopoulos and won a settlement.
He sued CBS News and "60 Minutes," and won a settlement. And he's now threatening like a billion-dollar lawsuit against the BBC, and we'll see how that goes.
More CPAC: CPAC 2026: Agriculture Sec. Brooke Rollins Counts Coup on Food Prices
CPAC 2026: TX-23 Brandon Herrera and MN Mike Lindell Among CPAC's Endorsed Conservative Candidates
Larry was joined by Benny Johnson's producer, ALX ("The Benny Show"), and PragerU personality, Xaviaer DuRousseau. Unless you pay attention to either platform, you probably are not familiar with DuRousseau or ALX (pronounced "Alex"). However, I predict that DuRousseau's star is on the rise, thanks to this linked CPAC speech focused on the rise of Islam and how we combat it.
Both young men were excellent choices for the topic at hand. Larry opened the panel with this acknowledgement to the audience and the panelists: "So, the media sucks. We can agree with that, right?" Larry pointed to us in the media pit and said, "Sorry, guys."
He continued:
And part of the reason why all those Gen Z or young people in your lives are no longer getting the news from George Stephanopoulos, or Jake Tapper — not that they were ever getting news from them in the first place. But the reason why they don't go to cable news or broadcast news anymore is pretty much because of these guys and what they've been able to do. And we're going to spend some time exploring that.
Larry's first question was to ALX. He asked, "How important is it that Donald Trump is leading the way and demonstrating that we don't have to take being lied about anymore, that we can fight back?
ALX: Yeah, one of the biggest things about Donald Trump is, despite being one of our oldest presidents, he is very social media savvy. So, if you remember back in 2016 and even before, 2015, he went viral all the time for his tweets. And he's well-known for his tweets. So taking that same energy to holding the media accountable, not only calling them out online, but then taking them to court and winning. Like, one of the best examples, is one that you've mentioned, the BBC. They lied about January 6. They said that, he said,"oh, they're going to the Capitol" or whatever, and they spliced together something that he never even said, and they cut out, like the "peacefully and patriotically," and everything, and I think they spliced in, something like, "fight" or something like that. And it was completely BS.
Larry replied, "They made it look like he led a mob."
ALX: Yeah, and he held him accountable by taking him to court, and now [ABC News'] George Stephanopoulos, and CBS, all of these media entities are finally being called out on their BS. And it's largely because of social media. Because we don't have to listen to them on TV, and they don't get to basically have the final word on everything. We now have audiences for ourselves. We go viral, and then they get humiliated.
Larry then turned to Xaviaer DuRousseau. "Xaviaer does work with PragerU. PragerU wouldn't exist if the media didn't lie so much in the first place, right? That's sort of why Dennis [Prager] started this thing."
XAVIAER: Yes, you know, Dennis Prager is a huge hero to me. And, you know, he's really the OG of knowing that the media is going to lie to us, and trying and doing everything that he could to get the truth out there. And now with PragerU, we're continuing his legacy. And, you know, shout out to the CEO of PragerU, Marissa Streit. She's always saying that education is how we got in this mess. So, education is how we are going to get out of this mess. And my entire story is a testament and proof that the PragerU system works. I'm so embarrassed to say this...
Larry interrupted, because Xaviaer's story is a testament to how better ideals, when actually considered and applied, will win out. So, he should not be embarrassed by this. Larry said, "If we were doing CPAC six years ago, Xavier would not be here: he'd be outside with the BLM protesters screaming at him. I kid you not!"
XAVIER: Yes, the allegations are true. I [grew up] in a liberal household. And I have a lot of Marxists in my family. And I was a BLM activist long before it was even popular. And trust me, I know it was the most ghetto mess that they ever participated in, and I sought out to become this big left-wing political activist. I was going to make an entire series where I debunked PragerU videos. And what I did instead is I debunked myself on accident. And as I dismantled the entire narrative that I was indoctrinated in my entire life, I then decided I was going to dedicate my life to combating propaganda just like Dennis Prager.
This was greeted by huge applause from the CPAC audience, and it is a clear reflection on the effectiveness of the PragerU method. Larry acknowledged this. "So, as soon as people actually see the truth, they actually get it," he said.
Larry then asked ALX about the 2024 elections, and how Trump employed the use of podcasts and new media to reach Gen Z in a way that had never been done before. TikTok nonsense, bought-and-paid-for celebrities [and participants] like Megan Thee Stallion and Beyonce, and Brat Summer Kamala were no match for simply sitting down with podcasters and influencers to share your ideas and policy points, rather than spouting practiced talking points, canned agendas, and "my opponent is evil" propaganda. President Trump didn't just defeat Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, he also beat the legacy media.
Larry said, "The media was irrelevant in that way. He didn't do the obligatory "60 Minutes" interview. He didn't do all of the things that a candidate was supposed to do. Instead, he did shows like your show and podcast. Why was that so important? Why did that work?"
ALX: Well, they saw the first time around how they treated him. And voters really reject all of this corporate media nonsense these days. One of the things that he did that was very non-traditional is he skipped one of the debates and did an X-Space with Elon Musk instead.
LARRY: One of the primary debates, right?
ALX: Yeah, and let's face it, he had a competition in the primary, so he didn't need to do that. So he did something different, and he joined a Space with Elon Musk. But that's really revolutionary. You couldn't think of something like that a couple years back, where he's on a Space with the richest man in the world.
Not to mention it was just three-and-a half years before this, in 2021, that then-Twitter banned President Trump 45 from the platform. Now, in 2024, Elon had purchased the platform, changed the name to X, and was hosting the future second-term president on the latest, new media communications method: an X Space.
ALX: So, for him to do that and to cut through the noise and to go to the people where they actually are, and you can actually communicate with voters on those Spaces, that's completely revolutionary.
Larry segued this back to the decrepit legacy media's response. "If CNN were, you know, analyzing the '24 election and Trump going to podcasts, they'd say, 'Oh, well, those guys weren't real journalists, and they didn't ask him tough questions, and they're not smart like, you know, Anderson Cooper.'"
Someone shouted from the audience that Cooper wasn't that smart. Larry turned and replied, "Exactly!" He asked Xaviaer, "Is that what happened there, or was there something else about those podcasts?"
Xaviaer's response gave huge insight into why certain trends and "influencers" resonate with Gen Z in particular. It's not about the method, it's about the authenticity. Xaviaer first piled onto CNN, because, why not. He said, "It's so funny that CNN even still exists, because I don't know anyone that still views them as credible at this point. No shade."
<*Insert GIF of Xaviaer sipping his tea*>. Savage.
But then Xaviaer dropped some real knowledge that everyone who wants to be in media or consumes media could benefit from.
XAVIAER: I really need people to understand the psychology that went into the success [of] President Trump's podcast tour. Because, yes, the virality, and the views, and the clicks, were very important, but that really wasn't what it was that won over Gen Z.
If you are comparing Gen Z to prior generations, and walk with me through this analogy: Before Gen Z had influencers, prior generations had socialites. For example, if you're of a particular age, you might remember, Zsa Zsa Gabor, all the way to the Millennials who had Paris Hilton or Kim Kardashian. They were unrelatable, unattainable, they were always showcased with a flawless presentation, just like the politicians of that era. They were always over-the-top polished. They had to be perfect. They had the perfect, predetermined talking points, and they had to stick to that script because they had to be flawless. Then you compare that to nowadays, where Gen Z and young people, we reject that, because we know that it's artificial. We want to see people be as real and authentic as possible. If you look at the type of influencers that gain notoriety now, it's because, oh, we like watching your morning coffee routine and your "Get Ready with Me"'s. We like to see you yap for 10 minutes about some niche personal experience in your life, because it feels real. And when you look at someone like President Trump and he goes on these podcasts, what we're able to see is that, oh, wow, he's that authentic, that he can spend two hours elaborating on the principles and the values that he stands for.
You compare that to Kamala Harris, "Kamala Jong Un," as I like to call her. If she doesn't have her script in front of her, she's a babbling idiot because she is soaking in artificial mediocrity.
Based. The CPAC crowd loudly applauded to this as well. Another reason why Xaviaer's star is on the rise.
Larry turned back to ALX and contrasted his own work in traditional media (radio), online and streaming media (Townhall), and interactive media (2Way). What these platforms all have in common is the audience response, whether through calling in, online comments, or in the case of 2Way, where viewers can connect their Zoom interface to the 2Way platform and participate with the hosts in real time.
Larry asked ALX, "how important is it for these guys? Elon Musk always says, 'you are the media' We are the media. This is the quintessential aspect of that. Because you can't tell Anderson Cooper he's full of crap, even though he is. George Stephanopoulos will never take your call. But we have to hear, read, listen, and respond in real time."
ALX: Yeah, so, one of the things we do on the Benny Show, too, is we have the comments on screen. So it's very visible what the audience is saying about what's going on onscreen, and what the guests are saying. So, that's one part of it.
Another part is, you know, things like traditional polling, too, is completely, completely non-responsive to what's going on. Say something goes viral or whatever, the polls are going to take three weeks and whatever to reflect that. But now we have, like online polling: Polymarket, or whatever. You get real-time feedback from the people and what they're feeling. And basically, that's better connected than, like you said, a TV viewer that can't communicate with the hosts. And, you know, it feels like they're screaming into the void basically. Comment sections, social media, you are the media now, basically - what Elon Musk is saying.
ALX then brought up a moment-in-time example of the power of new media.
ALX: Another example: Nick Shirley. Nick Shirley exposed Minnesota fraud. Now there's a national conversation on fraud. We've never seen something like that before. So, basically if you're a citizen journalist, you go out there and you cover something, and now you're forcing legacy media to report on exactly what you've exposed, and now there's a national conversation on that. We didn't see that power a couple years ago.
Larry pointed out that the traditional methods of polling, and even Nielsen ratings, have been rendered superfluous. Now it's about audience and real-time response. "When you get more comments, more live chats, people sharing the videos, that's how you know you've done well. That's how you know you've gotten a success. Right? It's driven by them," Larry said.
Xaviaer responded, saying that makes him "grateful":
XAVIAER: Of course, it's like, that's why I'm so grateful for every single person that supports the work that we do. I always call my fans, I call them my Cousins, because I feel like we're really just sitting at a big dinner table.
But you know, the court of public opinion, it really does have value. You know one of the things that people are always asking me now, is that, they're like, "Why are conservatives always on defense? How is it that we get MAGA from being on defense? But I reject the premise of the question. We don't need to worry about being on defense; we need to just keep showcasing who's on offense.
It's like, oh, God forbid we like having a family with two parents in the household, and we'd like to have strong borders and a good economy. Over on the Left, while they're demonizing us for eating red meat, they have people like Zohran Mamdani, his wife, and his constituents that are constantly showcasing their support for literal terrorism and for the demoralization of our country. You have people on the Left — These leftists — you will have grown men who take a "Shake and Go" Party City wig, and put it on and think that that's all it takes to be a woman. These people that want to see criminals and illegal immigrants just wreaking havoc in our country. That's who's on offense. So, don't you dare try to tell me that I'm an awful person because I have the audacity to be a Patriot!
Larry pivoted to the SAVE America Act, and how its sponsor, Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT), and other connected electeds were using social media platforms and real-time spaces to communicate with the American people, who overwhelmingly want to see the bill passed in Congress.
"Crazy notion that you should prove you're a citizen before you register to vote," Larry joked. "So, take this as an example, ALX, about how we are driving the conversation about the SAVE America Act and how some of the senators get it, like Mike Lee."
ALX: Yeah, so Senator Mike Lee has really been in charge for months and months on this. And like, each night, he's been holding X Spaces and hearing constituents getting all of their opinions. And the biggest criticism is, oh, we don't have the votes. They keep saying 'it's a lost cause. What's the point?' Well, like, what's the problem? Are we wrong because 71 percent of voters, not just Republicans, want this passed? Whose fault is it that you can't get the votes? It seems like you're out of touch with your constituents. If you can't find the votes and it's 71 percent supported by everybody, whose fault is that?
And then they're going to say that we're paid influencers just because we care about this? It's just like... it's such a slap in the face to all Americans who simply want people to vote in our elections that are Americans, not only illegal aliens.
READ MORE:House GOP Fights Back: New 60-Day Clean Bill Funds ICE and CBP
Larry took an informal poll and asked, "I'm just curious. If you feel like now you're getting more of your news and commentary from podcasts, YouTube, Facebook, social media, versus broadcast and cable news, I want to hear from you."
The CPAC crowd responded uproariously.
"Do you feel that?" Larry said.
Xaviaer then brought it home:
XAVIAER: I want to just say, I have to say, "Thank you," to Elon Musk. Because if it wasn't for him buying X, I think we would still be in the situation that we would have been in six years ago. Because now that we have a platform like X, when we put the truth out there in real time, we are able to access the truth faster than mainstream media trying to propagate a lie. Before they try to twist the narrative, we are able to see what is actually happening. You look at even recent situations with the ICE shootings, and everyone's like, "Oh my goodness, I can't believe this ICE agent shot this woman!" But nobody wants to talk about how the deranged wench hit him with her car before she F-A-F-O'd!
Again, Xaviaer's comment received great laughter and applause. This is how a quality conservative voice rises.
Larry concluded the presentation by talking about a media-focused panel at CPAC 2025 with his fellow Townhall colleague, Kurt Schlichter, and ALX. The men got on the topic of the egregious former MSNBC host Joy Reid. "And the panel was titled, it was something about Joy Reid. And we spent like 15 minutes just mercilessly destroying Joy Reid," Larry said. "It was embarrassing. It was horrible. ALX, what happened the next day?"
ALX replied: "She got fired."
Larry looked at the audience and said, "I would just like to finish by saying, Jake Tapper, we're really, really sorry. Good luck. Thanks, everybody."
CNN is going through yet another fire sale, and Jake Tapper recently did his evening show from his office. So, this might be the week to watch the media space to see how prophetic this CPAC panel is.
Editor’s Note: Do you enjoy RedState’s conservative reporting that takes on the radical left and woke media? Support our work so that we can continue to bring you the truth.
Join RedState VIP and use the promo code FIGHT to get 60% off your VIP membership!
Join the conversation as a VIP Member