Christian Smith
Former President Trump drew mixed reactions from a rowdy crowd as he worked to appeal to the Libertarian National Conventionurging the party to “combine with us” to defeat President Biden in November.
“The fact is we shouldn’t be fighting each other. If Joe Biden returns, there will be no more freedom for anyone in our country. Join us in partnership, we are asking this of libertarians. We must work together. Combine with us. You have to match with us,” Trump said at an audience at the Washington Hilton on Saturday night.
The comments drew a mix of boos and cheers from a crowd of libertarian and pro-Trump attendees.
The former president said that his appearance at the convention was to “extend the hand of friendship” to the party, which, according to him, “can make a big difference”.
“I’m asking for the endorsement of the Libertarian Party, or at least many of their votes,” Trump said, prompting boos — but also getting chants of “We want Trump” from his supporters in the crowd.
“Maybe you don’t want to win… Keep getting your three percent every four years,” Trump said, seemingly criticizing the party’s recent success in the polls.
As part of his appeal to the party, Trump also pledged to put a libertarian in his cabinet if he wins the Oval Office in 2024 — and to commute the sentence of Ross Ulbricht, who is serving a life sentence for his role in operating a platform. for buying and selling illegal drugs. Chants of “Ross free” erupted several times during the night’s events.
Trump’s comments come a day after independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. addressed a crowd at the same event. Kennedy, who is making a long shot at taking on Trump and President Biden in the fall, ousted the former president on Friday over his administration’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Kennedy challenged Trump to formally debate him at the convention, and although the White House rivals appeared on different days, Trump’s decision to participate in the Libertarian event underscores the potential spoiler threat posed by Kennedy’s third-party candidacy.
Staff brought in additional chairs before Trump’s speech to accommodate both the libertarians and Trump supporters who packed the ballroom after Kennedy’s showing reportedly drew a thinner audience. Libertarian leaders urged the mixed crowd to listen to each other.
Trump is heading for a tight rematch with Biden in the fall, and the pair have committed to two head-to-head debates — as Kennedy laments his exclusion. Several recent polls have announced bad news for Biden in key states.
Biden’s campaign took down Trump before Saturday’s speech.
“Freedom is not free in Trump’s Republican Party and this weekend will be just another reminder of that,” Biden-Harris spokesman Kevin Munoz said in a statement.
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