Inside CPAC 2026: Iranian-Americans back Trump, Netanyahu in push to end Islamic regime

I’m on the ground here in Dallas, Texas, for CPAC 2026, one of the year’s largest and most influential gatherings of conservatives in the country. But beyond the big speeches by both major influencers and newsmakers, I ran into a dozen or so Iranian-Americans who came here with a singular purpose: to thank U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. 

One of those individuals is a woman by the name of Shiva Rix. She’s not a politician. Not part of an organized group. Not a professional activist. She’s an Iranian-American who drove 15 hours from Minnesota just to be here. “We need to get rid of the regime. No question asked,” she told me. 

Rix’s story starts decades ago. “I’m Iranian. I was 23 years old when I got out of Iran,” she says. “So I know exactly what’s going on.” She believes the vast majority of Iranians agree with her. “I know 85, at least 85% of people – if not more – think like me.” 

Her frustration traces back to the 1979 revolution and what followed – the rise of the Islamic Republic. In her telling, the world missed its moment back then. “It’s too bad that when the hostage crisis happened… no one stopped that government. Or actually the regime.” 

Now, she says, the situation has only worsened. “It’s like stage four cancer,” she told me. “At this point, we need surgery. We need chemotherapy,” she said. “Two good surgeons, Trump and Bibi, are doing it.” 

Rix is referring to President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu. While Trump remains popular here at CPAC, Bibi is clearly more controversial, especially amongst the younger set at the conference. 

So why did Rix travel halfway across the country to a conservative political conference in Dallas? “This is my first time. I didn’t know anything about CPAC,” she admitted. But one name changed that: Reza Pahlavi, the son of the late Shah, who is scheduled to speak on Friday afternoon. “I wanted to come and support him.” 

Pahlavi has become a symbolic figure for many Iranian dissidents. Rix sees him not as a permanent ruler, but as a transitional leader. “He’s not trying to be in the office or anything. It’s a bridge,” she said. “A bridge to get detox… and then at the end, we Iranian people decide what we want.” 

That idea – temporary leadership followed by democratic choice – is central to her vision. “If the Iranian people say no, we don’t want him, that’s totally fine,” she added. “But at this point, we just need to get rid of the regime.” 

One of the more fascinating parts of this story is that there was no official Iranian-American delegation that came to CPAC. Rix and her friend simply showed up. “My friend and I… we just came here,” she said. “I don’t know anybody.” 

And yet, they weren’t alone. Roughly a dozen Iranian-Americans could be seen throughout CPAC – talking, networking, sharing stories and chanting in the halls, “Thank You Trump, Thank you Bibi.” It was an organic sort of love. 

The shared message was clear: support for regime change in Iran and gratitude toward those they believe are helping make it possible. “I would stop anything to come here and be part of this process,” she said. “It’s part of history.” 

Rix’s worldview extends beyond Iran itself. She sees the regime as a destabilizing force across the region – and beyond. “Planet Earth is like a big neighborhood,” she explained. “And this is an awful, crazy neighbor who’s hurting everyone.” 

She pointed to countries like Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and especially Israel. “Poor Israel!” she says as she shakes her head in sadness. 

There was another moment in our conversation that stood out – and it wasn’t political. It was personal. 

“What I’m doing here –  it’s a little risky,” she said. “They have people here, even in America, that can hurt me. They can go hurt my family in Iran.” And yet, she kept talking. She wasn’t going to stay silent. Too much is at stake. 

She's just thankful that, finally, for the first time in decades, she believes Iranians like her have allies. “Finally, somebody’s getting rid of the tumor,” she said. “We’re not in this alone anymore.” 

Her gratitude was unmistakable. “Thank you, President Trump. Thank you, Bibi,” she said. “You know how much everybody loves you in Iran.” 

She even shared a cultural note – one that might surprise some Americans. “They call you Amu Trump and Amu Bibi,” she said. “That means Uncle Trump and Uncle Bibi.”