Lt. Col. Oliver North of the National Rifle Association, makes remarks at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) Thursday. Photo by Mike Theiler/UPI
Former Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference event in National Harbor, Md. Photo by Mike Theiler/UPI
Former Deputy Assistant to President Donald Trump Sebastian Gorka speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference on Thursday. Photo by Mike Theiler/UPI
Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., of the Freedom Caucus, makes remarks at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), Thursday, in National Harbor, Md. Photo by Mike Theiler/UPI
Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, makes remarks at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on Thursday in National Harbor, Md. Photo by Mike Theiler/UPI
American Conservative Union's Matt Schlapp makes remarks to open the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), on Thursday in National Harbor, Md. Photo by Mike Theiler/UPI
Young guests bow their heads in prayer at the opening of the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), on Thursday, in National Harbor, Md. Photo by Mike Theiler/UPI
U.S. Navy veteran Tom Caldwell of Berryville, Va., poses at a booth set up to mimic the White House press room, at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), on Thursday in National Harbor, Md. Photo by Mike Theiler/UPI
Artist Julian Raven's portrait of President Donald Trump is on display at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on Thursday in National Harbor, Md. Photo by Mike Theiler/UPI
Guests arrive at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on Thursday. Photo by Mike Theiler/UPI
Former Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) greets guests at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on Thursday. Photo by Mike Theiler/UPI
Former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer (R) greets guests at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on Thursday. Photo by Mike Theiler/UPI
White House National Economic Council Director Larry Kudlow makes remarks at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on Thursday. Photo by Mike Theiler/UPI
Transgender conservatives promoting inclusiveness attend the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on Thursday. Photo by Mike Theiler/UPI
Jerry Brown of St. Augustine, Fla., dressed as President Abraham Lincoln, attends the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on Thursday. Photo by Mike Theiler/UPI
Feb. 28 (UPI) -- The Conservative Political Action Conference began Thursday, featuring appearances by Reps. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., and Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Cabinet officials.
The conference, or CPAC, is being held in National Harbor, Md., and the general session began Thursday. It's an annual event attended by conservative officials and activists. The opening session Wednesday was called "activism boot camp."
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Thursday, Jordan and Meadows spoke about Democrats' proposed Green New Deal, which would entail sweeping measures to combat climate change, in a seminar entitled "Marketing Marxism."
Also scheduled for Thursday is an in-depth discussion on gun control featuring Rep. Richard Hudson, R-N.C., and Kyle Kashuv, a student who survived the shooting attack at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., last year.
President Donald Trump is scheduled to address the conference at 11:30 a.m. Saturday. It will be his third consecutive appearance at the event since taking office.
Trump will be fresh off his trip to Vietnam, where he walked away from negotiations with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un Thursday after failing to reach an agreement on sanctions relief and nuclear disarmament.
Other Cabinet officials set to speak at the conference are Vice President Mike Pence (Friday), Labor Secretary Alex Acosta (Thursday), White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow (Thursday), Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross (Friday), British conservative Nigel Farage (Friday) and White House adviser Kellyanne Conway (Friday).