Congressman Paul Gosar (R-AZ) has had quite the weekend. He spoke Friday night at Unite the Right attendee Nicholas Fuentes’ white nationalist “America First Political Action Conference” (AFPAC), then he claimed to denounce “white racism” on the main stage of the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) Saturday morning, and finally concluded Saturday by meeting with Fuentes where the two snapped a photo together.

On Saturday morning at CPAC, Gosar attempted to distance himself from his Friday night keynote address at Fuentes’ AFPAC event. Both conferences are being held in Orlando, Florida.

“Before I get to that, I want to tell you: I denounce when we talk about white racism. That’s not appropriate,” Gosar told CPAC chairman Matt Schlapp’s wife, Mercedes Schlapp.

Following his CPAC speech, the congressman confirmed to The Washington Post that he was, in fact, denouncing Fuentes and his white nationalist gathering. The very same gathering where he spoke less than twelve hours before.

“He said later that he was referring to Friday night’s America First Political Action Conference, organized by 22-year-old online commentator Nick Fuentes, who rallied rioters outside the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6,” The Washington Post’s David Weigel reported. 

That said, shortly after Gosar claimed to denounce Fuentes, the congressman had a one-on-one meeting with him.

Rep. Paul Gosar, after speaking at AFPAC on Friday night, and then saying he denounces “white racism” at CPAC on Saturday morning, is now meeting with white nationalist and Unite the Right attendee Nick Fuentes with a CPAC lanyard around his neck. pic.twitter.com/Dv0XIEqtaJ

— Zachary Petrizzo (@ZTPetrizzo) February 27, 2021

“Great meeting with today with Congressman Gosar! America is truly uncancelled,” Fuentes tweeted on Saturday afternoon, with a photo attached of himself and Gosar, appearing to be having coffee together.

The Conservative Political Action Conference and CPAC communications director Ian Walters didn’t respond to multiple requests for comment from Mediaite regarding if Gosar remains welcomed at CPAC after meeting with Fuentes on Saturday afternoon.

Fuentes and Gosar’s office didn’t return Mediaite’s request for comment on Saturday evening.

White nationalist “groypers,” Fuentes’ followers, aren’t a new problem for CPAC. One of Fuentes’ followers, Jaden McNeil, who is best known for posting racist jokes online about George Floyd, was welcomed at CPAC before he was apparently kicked out on Friday. One of CPAC’s “participating sponsors” was also sponsoring Fuentes’ event.

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