On Saturday evening, former President Donald Trump attended the Libertarians’ National Convention in the Washington Hilton Hotel and it went about as anyone would have expected.
While the Republican Party and libertarians have similarities in their beliefs they also have a multitude of differences.
Trump clearly intended to draw on these similarities, joking how “In the last year, I’ve been indicted by the government on 91 different things. So if I wasn’t a libertarian before, I sure as hell am a libertarian now.”
“In the last year, I’ve been indicted by the government on 91 different things, so if I wasn’t a libertarian before, I sure as hell am a libertarian now” — Trump pic.twitter.com/j2gJGQLxY6
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 26, 2024
He also attempted to appeal to the audience by stating that, if elected to a second term in office, he would push for “limited government so that the people can have an unlimited future.”
However, while the former president attempted to bridge the gap between Republican partisans and libertarians, it was far from sunshine and rainbows.
Trump was booed.
A lot.
Trump is getting booed at the Libertarian National Convention pic.twitter.com/l50v293gAq
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 26, 2024
And if the American people know anything about the 45th president of the United States it’s that he does not take a challenge quietly.
“Anyone can talk about defending freedom, but I’ve actually put everything on the line to resist these despots … And I stand before you tonight as your best hope of defeating the weaponized Biden, and the very evil regime that his people, because it’s probably not him because he doesn’t know where the hell he is.”
As the flurry of discontent rose, Trump began to hit back against the riled crowd with quips reminding the Libertarian Party just how little they’ve achieved at the national scale. Defiantly, he told the crowd they should nominate him for the presidency, according to The New York Times.
“If you want to lose, don’t do that. Keep getting your 3 percent every four years,” he said.
“Maybe you don’t want to win … keep getting your 3 percent every four years” — Trump is going full heel on this Libertarian National Convention crowd pic.twitter.com/OkUmBR4Z1A
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 26, 2024
“Mr. Trump’s speech was without modern precedent: the presumptive nominee of a major political party giving a prime-time address at another party’s convention,” the Times reported.
So, no, it wasn’t always a pleasant encounter, but there is a very clear and smart reason behind it.
The former president has been attempting to campaign in areas that may not have 100 percent support for him already, something opponent President Joe Biden could never hope to do.
The former New York business mogul-turned-politician held a campaign rally on Thursday in the Bronx, not an area known for its heavy conservative lean, in hopes of pulling further votes in November.
His attendance at the libertarian event followed much of the same suit.
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While the crowd was undoubtedly more supportive of Trump than liberals might have hoped — as “Make America Great Again” hats could be seen throughout the event — the booing shows that he’s far from beloved.
But while perhaps clips of him being booed by Americans relatively close to the Republican Party’s platform might give CNN a fun video to air in the morning, it doesn’t mean it was a waste of time.
The actions taken currently by Trump and his campaign team can very well be the difference between a second term for him or for Sleepy Joe.
We should be thankful that we have a candidate willing to go into unfamiliar territory and make his sales pitch — politicians like that don’t come along every day.
