Confrontation at party conference
Libertarians boo Trump
26.05.2024, 11:10 a.m.
Listen to article
This audio version was artificially generated. More info | Send feedback
Trump is usually greeted by loud shouts from his supporters. This was also the case at an appearance before the Libertarian Party. This time, however, loud boos drown out his supporters. The Libertarians criticize the accumulated national debt and the Corona policy during his term in office.
Donald Trump encountered unusual headwinds at a Libertarian Party event. The 77-year-old was loudly booed during his speech at the Libertarian Party National Convention in the capital Washington, as can be clearly heard in an Associated Press broadcast. Many of those present hurled insults at him and criticized him for things like his corona policy, the accumulation of national debt and lies about his political record.
Some of his supporters, wearing caps and shirts with the slogan “Make America Great Again,” chanted “USA! USA!” as Trump took the stage, but were drowned out by the cheers of the crowd. It was a rare moment for the former president, who is used to appearing in front of a sympathetic audience where troublemakers are not allowed to speak.
Libertarians, who favor as little government interference as possible and stand up for individual freedoms, have often been skeptical of Trump. His invitation to the meeting has divided the party. Trump tried to win over his critics. He pointed to the four criminal charges against him. “If I wasn’t a libertarian before, I certainly am now,” he said. He also promised to nominate a libertarian for his cabinet if he wins the election.
Libertarians: Trump worst president
Trump continued to praise the “militant defenders of freedom in this room” and called President Joe Biden a “tyrant” and “the worst president in the history of the United States.” That prompted some in the audience to shout back, “That’s you!” As the abuse continued, Trump finally went on a confrontational stance. “You don’t want to win,” he said – suggesting that some libertarians are out to “get your three percent every four years.”
The national vote share of the Libertarian Party’s 2016 presidential candidate, Gary Johnson, was around three percent, while his successor Jo Jorgensen only managed a little more than one percent in 2020. At the Libertarian Party National Convention, the party selects its candidate for the November election. Before Trump, independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. spoke at the event on Friday.