Chuck Darwin<p>Attendees, with white-and-red gift bags and lanyards, knew to be closelipped when approached by hotel interlopers <br>or by the Times reporter, who was not invited to the closed-press festivities. </p><p>But a copy of the agenda listed remarks by several tech billionaires, including the Anduril co-founder <a href="https://c.im/tags/Palmer" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Palmer</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/Luckey" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Luckey</span></a> and the venture capitalist <a href="https://c.im/tags/Marc" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Marc</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/Andreessen" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Andreessen</span></a>, who spoke about his support for deregulating technology <br>and the mixed reaction in Silicon Valley to his endorsement of Mr. Trump, according to attendees.</p><p>There were tech up-and-comers, too: <br>Donald Trump <a href="https://c.im/tags/Jr" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Jr</span></a>. announced at the welcome dinner that he was entering venture capital. </p><p>And days before the president-elect chose Robert F. <a href="https://c.im/tags/Kennedy" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Kennedy</span></a> Jr. for health and human services secretary, <br>Mr. Kennedy spoke extensively about his public-health work to a standing ovation. </p><p> Ms. <a href="https://c.im/tags/Wiles" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Wiles</span></a> also led a session on “2024 Election Analysis,” where she gave a preview of Mr. Trump’s first days as president.</p><p>“It’s the domestic ‘Davos in the desert,’” said the Rockbridge backer <a href="https://c.im/tags/Omeed" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Omeed</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/Malik" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Malik</span></a>, referring to the annual business conference in Riyadh, and Donald Trump Jr.’s new business partner.</p><p>➡️Rockbridge began with more humility. </p><p>Back in 2019, Mr. <a href="https://c.im/tags/Vance" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Vance</span></a>, then best known as the author of “Hilbilly Elegy,” and a conservative media figure named <a href="https://c.im/tags/Chris" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Chris</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/Buskirk" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Buskirk</span></a> began informally hosting a series of small dinners <br>that would eventually become called Rockbridge. </p><p>The group drew early support from the venture capitalist <a href="https://c.im/tags/Peter" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Peter</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/Thiel" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Thiel</span></a> and eventually caught the attention of Donald J. Trump, who spoke at a few meetings.</p><p>Once in the fall and once in the spring, Rockbridge began to gather at places like the Four Seasons in Palm Beach, Fla., <br>or the Ritz-Carlton in Dallas for three days of political panels and business networking. </p><p>Speakers included people like <a href="https://c.im/tags/Tucker" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Tucker</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/Carlson" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Carlson</span></a>; the Thiel protégé <a href="https://c.im/tags/Blake" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Blake</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/Masters" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Masters</span></a>; the casino mogul <a href="https://c.im/tags/Steve" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Steve</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/Wynn" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Wynn</span></a>; the investor <a href="https://c.im/tags/David" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>David</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/Sacks" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Sacks</span></a>; and <a href="https://c.im/tags/Woody" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Woody</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/Johnson" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>Johnson</span></a>, the billionaire owner of the New York Jets.</p><p>Not all attendees have politics at the top of their mind. </p><p>Some are primarily interested in business, seeing Rockbridge as a conservative-tinged version of the elite Sun Valley conference.</p><p><a href="https://c.im/tags/RockbridgeNetwork" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>RockbridgeNetwork</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/RebekahMercer" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>RebekahMercer</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/ElonMusk" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ElonMusk</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/KenHowery" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>KenHowery</span></a> <a href="https://c.im/tags/LukeNosek" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>LukeNosek</span></a></p>