Trump woos anti-government group as race against Biden tightens
As the 2024 presidential campaign tightens and the number of undecided voters dwindles, Donald Trump appears to be trying to woo a new audience — members of the Libertarian Party.
Semafor's David Weigel reported Wednesday that Trump will speak at the national convention on May 23 in Washington, D.C. If his trial hasn't finished in Manhattan, Trump would need to be in court earlier that day and then fly to Washington for the speech.
The Libertarian Party released a statement on Tuesday calling the event a “momentous occasion," as it will be the first time a former president speaks to their convention.
"Don’t miss this opportunity to hear insights from a prominent figure in American politics and watch him engage with Libertarian ideals," the statement continued.
The theme for the conference is "Become Ungovernable," the website says. The letter "A" in the word uses the anarchist symbol. The lowest ticket "package" price to attend is $225.
The party defines being a Libertarian as supporting "a world in which all individuals are sovereign over their own lives and are not forced to sacrifice their values for the benefit of others."
It flies in the face of Trump's policies, which support restrictions on reproductive health, on marijuana usage, and opposition to LGBTQ rights — among many other issues.
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"Our support of an individual’s right to make choices in life does not mean that we necessarily approve or disapprove of those choices. No individual, group, or government may rightly initiate force against any other individual, group, or government. Libertarians reject the notion that groups have inherent rights. We support the rights of the smallest minority, the individual," the party's platform says.
Trump played up his opposition to President Joe Biden in a statement about the event.
"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 (sic) will achieve that goal," Trump said with his random capitalization.
"I look forward to speaking at the Libertarian Event, which will be attended by many of my great friends," he continued. "We all have to remember that our goal is to defeat the Worst President in the History (sic) of the United States, BY FAR (sic), 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!"
He did not mention specific policy issues.
Both Biden and Trump were invited to the event.