At the National Conservatism Conference, Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts delivered a scathing critique of elite Republicans, blaming them for the decline of America. Roberts accused "Beltway Republicans" of neglecting American interests and compromising with the Left, asserting that their policies and leadership have harmed the nation over the past generation.

Roberts specifically targeted Washington Republicans for their failures, urging them to align with a new conservative movement focused on the nation-state and traditional values. He criticized libertarians for their emphasis on individualism, materialism, and globalism, as well as their support of Biden's open-border policy. Furthermore, Roberts took aim at neoconservatives for their role in advocating for heavy American involvement in military conflicts post-9/11, which he believed contributed to America's post-Cold War decline.