The speech is credited for helping kick - start his political career within the Republican Party .
Trump publicly speculated about running for president in the 2012 election , and made his first speaking appearance at the Conservative Political Action Conference ( CPAC ) in February 2011 .
The speech is credited for helping kick - start Trump 's political career within the Republican Party .
Trump publicly speculated about running for president in the 2012 election , and made his first speaking appearance at the Conservative Political Action Conference ( CPAC ) in February 2011 .