Former President Donald Trump may be increasing his lead over President Joe Biden with each passing poll, but that does not mean he takes a single voter for granted.
In an unprecedented move for any major party presidential candidate, much less the Republican party’s prospective nominee, Trump has accepted an invitation to speak at the 2024 Libertarian National Convention.
President Joe Biden was also invited but is, so far, not expected to attend, according to The Hill.
The Libertarian Party posted the announcement on its website, hailing Trump’s acceptance as a “historic” and “momentous” occasion and suggesting they feel privileged to have him address their event.
“Join us for a historic moment at the 2024 Libertarian National Convention as we welcome former President Donald J. Trump to the podium,” the statement read. “This momentous occasion will mark the first time a former President directly addresses our members, candidates, and executive committee. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear insights from a prominent figure in American politics and watch him engage with Libertarian ideals.”
Of course, they also leveraged the situation to solicit funds from supporters wanting to have a voice, writing, “Be sure to register for the convention and cast your vote on the topics President Trump will address during his time at the podium. If you aren’t able to make it to convention, no problem! You can still register to vote in this poll by paying the $10 entry fee.”
In an X post, the party wrote, “The Libertarian National Party, the Party of Principle, announced today that President Donald J. Trump has responded to an invitation, and challenge, from the Libertarian Party to speak at its National Convention, and directly address concerns voiced by its members. President Trump will speak on Saturday, May 25th, in Washington, D.C.”
Members of the Libertarian Party will share a list of their top ten issues with President Trump in advance of the convention, hoping to make an impact on the policy positions of a past and possibly future president.
Was this a smart move for Trump?
Angela McArdle said, “For 50 years, we’ve been trying to get our candidates on the main stage with major party POTUS candidates and we’ve finally succeeded in bringing one to our stage. We will do everything in our power to use this incredible opportunity to advance the message of liberty.”
President Trump to Address Libertarian Party Concerns at National Convention May 25th
Washington, D.C., May 1, 2024 — The Libertarian National Party, the Party of Principle, announced today that President Donald J. Trump has responded to an invitation, and challenge, from the…
— Libertarian Party (@LPNational) May 1, 2024
The tweet also included Trump’s response to their invitation, which read: “Libertarians are some of the most independent and thoughtful thinkers in our Country, and I am honored to join them in Washington, DC, later this month. We must all work together to help advance freedom and liberty for every American, and a second Trump Administration will achieve that goal. I look forward to speaking at the Libertarian Event, which will be attended by many of my great friends. We all have to remember that our goal is to defeat the Worst President in the History of the United States, BY FAR, Crooked Joe Biden. If Libertarians join me and the Republican Party, where we have many Libertarian views, the election won’t even be close. We cannot have another four years of death, destruction, and incompetence. WE WILL WORK TOGETHER AND WIN!”
The party’s 2024 convention theme, “Become Ungovernable,” directly responds to what it perceives as “unconscionable authoritarian actions” by federal and state governments during recent years, “which saw citizens confined, indoctrinated, lied to, and inoculated against their will,” the post said.
While the Libertarian Party presidential candidates have historically won only low single-digit percentages of the vote, according to Florida Politics, these votes could still bear much weight in swing states where the margins are thin.
Spike Cohen, the 2020 Libertarian vice presidential candidate, told Newsweek in September, “Libertarians intend to ‘take’ so many votes from the RepubliCrats that neither of their candidates can win, and we win instead.”
The party casts itself as the only consistent voice for bedrock libertarian values that it believes the two major parties have abandoned under the administrations of both parties.
“The enemy of my enemy is my friend,” the old saying goes.
Although Libertarians and Republicans have some major differences, they share several core values, including a deep distaste for excessive spending, taxation, regulation, and overseas military overreach.
Despite its war talk, the Libertarian party cannot be deluded enough to think that they have a chance of actually winning, considering that they do not even have an established candidate at this point.
I truly admire trump’s ability and willingness to talk to people. So many politicians are so tightly scripted. He’s not.
— Jeff (@PingPongBlack) May 1, 2024
Of course some libertarians are excited at the opportunity to get the ear of the country, hoping to convert more to their cause — but that’s a risk Trump is willing to take.
Good for Trump to actually accept and this gives the Libertarian the platform and attention they have been wanting and a chance to be heard out from a leading candidate going into the 2024 campaign. Remember, you arent pitching Trump, you are pitching HIS BASE
— Pardon The Facts (@CantGetRit3) May 1, 2024
With the economy and two overseas wars in full focus this season — and the striking difference in both these areas between President Joe Biden’s stance on this issue compared to his — it’s a case that Trump apparently feels he can make, at least to some.
The support of the libertarian wing could help him build the non-traditional coalition that propelled his 2016 victory and continues to grow with black and Hispanic voters, increasing turnout among those focused on civil liberty and non-interventionism.
It may also undermine independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s attempts to woo this demographic.
Kennedy’s representative told The Hill in April that although Kennedy decided against running as a Libertarian, he has “many areas of alignment with the Libertarian Party, including a strong stance on civil liberties and keeping the country out of foreign wars.”
Whether or not the Libertarian Party embraces Trump, it is, per the party’s announcement statement, “historic” and once again demonstrates Trump’s unique talent for bucking traditional boundaries and reaching out to all Americans looking for change, regardless of their background or prior partisan affiliations.
