Trump leans into culture wars with Moms for Liberty at D.C. summit

WASHINGTON — Former President Donald Trump told a crowd of right-wing activists Friday night he is for parental rights "all the way" just a few blocks from the White House where he hopes to return.

The Republican presidential nominee arrived at the nation’s capitol eager to reengage the culture wars at the Moms for Liberty “Joyful Warriors” Summit.

During his "fireside chat" with Moms for Liberty Co-Founder Tiffany Justice, Trump leaned into the group's messaging, railing against schools that support transgender youth and states that offer protections for gender affirming care, claiming school boards have become "like dictatorships."

“The parents truly love the kids,” he said. “Some of these people on the boards, I think they don’t like the kids very much … you have to give the rights back to the parents.”

Trump's appearance comes as the group has transformed its mission into pushing for a national conservative agenda after it experienced plateauing success in its original goal of getting local school board candidates elected.

Moms for Liberty said it plans to spend more than $3 million in key battleground states ahead of the presidential election. While its chapters are still supporting local school board candidates, the summit’s speakers made evident a Trump victory is paramount.

While on stage, Trump praised the "incredible" work Moms for Liberty has done and thanked Justice for her personal endorsement.

More: White women have long been unreliable voters for Democrats. Could that change in 2024?

What is Moms for Liberty?

Sessions at Moms for Liberty’s summit Friday ranged from “The History of Marxism” to “Helping Teachers Leave the Union.” The group, which describes itself as a "parental rights organization," is known for its federal super PAC, calls to ban books in schools, and opposition to mentions of LGBTQ+ identity and systemic racism in K-12 curriculum.

Moms for Liberty and its leaders have been plagued with scandal since its founding three years ago, including the time it removed chapter chairs who posed for photos with members of the Proud Boys, a far-right group whose leader was sentenced to 22 years in prison for his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol.

In 2023, the Southern Poverty Law Center labeled Moms for Liberty “extremist” and “anti-government.” The group also has a relationship with the right-wing think tank the Heritage Foundation, which had a booth at the convention.

Moms for Liberty serves on the advisory board of The Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025, the detailed plan proposing major changes to the federal government that Trump has attempted to distance himself from.

According to the organization, Moms for Liberty has 300 chapters and 130,000 members across the country – 600 of whom attended the summit.

Sarah Thomas, an attendee at Friday's event, described the summit as an “awakening.” Thomas, a mom of seven children from York County, Pennsylvania, said she is worried about the cost of groceries, upset by school vaccine mandates and that she believes Trump's disproven claim that the 2020 election was stolen from him. Her friend invited her to the summit to learn more about the group and she said she was happy to find like-minded people.

Several reviews, recounts, and audits, have affirmed that the 2020 presidential election results are legitimate.

"It's interesting that even people in other states have the same issues as our little piece of the world,” Thomas said. "If the other party wins, I find it very hard to think that it would be a legitimate."

What role is Moms for Liberty playing in the 2024 election?

Liz Mikitarian, a former Florida kindergarten teacher who formed the counter group "STOP Moms for Liberty" said the Trump campaign likely sees the organization as a political tool it can use to enlist support from suburban women, an important voting bloc.

“We all watched recently when our President got shot and he was right when he got up and said, ‘fight, fight, fight,’” Justice told the crowd. “Moms: Let me be clear, it is time to fight like a mother.”

However, Trump’s appearance could turn off moderate voters due to the group’s extremist reputation. Activists at the convention were “cautiously optimistic” about his chances in November.

Republican campaign strategist Shawn Frost sat on the same school board as Justice and worked as a media engagement consultant for the group around the time of its founding. He said he advised it to focus less on culture war issues to widen its appeal, but that Moms for Liberty ultimately “did away with him.”

While Trump’s appearance at the conference could activate Trump's supporters already parroting his talking points, Frost said “normal” suburban Republicans and independents aren’t likely in attendance.

“President Trump is doing them a big favor by adding his gravitas and relevance to their little conference,” Frost said.

As Nov. 5 draws closer, both major party candidates are ramping up their campaign efforts in key battleground states, including Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Michigan. A recent USA TODAY/Suffolk University poll found Harris leading Trump 48% to 43% after the Democratic National Convention.

Rachel Barber is a 2024 election fellow at USA TODAY, focusing on politics and education. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter, at @rachelbarber_

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Donald Trump speaks at Moms for Liberty summit in DC