• At their party’s Washington, D.C., nomination convention, Trump made a strong plea to Libertarian members.
• Trump went on to discuss important libertarian topics.
• Leading Libertarian contenders criticize Trump’s presence, saying the former president does not represent their party’s values.

At their party’s Washington, D.C., nomination convention, former president Donald Trump made a strong plea to Libertarian members, vowing to support important Libertarian concerns and appoint a Libertarian to his cabinet and other prominent positions.

Both non-Libertarian Party members who were endorsing Trump and LP members who had voiced disapproval of him mixed throughout the address.

Libertarian voters

Trump acknowledged the hostile audience and made light of his many court cases, in which he has consistently denied any wrongdoing. He also made fun of the jeers from the audience, saying that the Libertarian Party ought to put him forward for the US presidential nomination.

Trump went on to discuss other important libertarian topics, such as the dismantling of federal agencies, cryptocurrency, First and Second Amendment rights, and anti-war views.

Trump declared during his speech that he would reduce Ross Ulbricht’s life sentence in jail for his creation of the Silk Road, an anonymous online marketplace notorious for selling illegal goods, particularly marijuana.

A straw poll earlier on Saturday revealed that the top concern among Libertarians is the release of political prisoners, especially Ulbricht. Pins were worn by almost every attendee, and “Free Ross” placards were sprayed all over the convention halls.

But the crowd booed loudly after some of Trump’s campaign stump speeches, including his vow to resolve the border situation and his anti-transgender remarks. Throughout his address, senior campaign staffer Jason Miller played down the animosity that Libertarian party members had toward him, asserting that the outgoing president would bring the nation together. However many members of the Libertarian Party expressed disdain for Trump’s appearance, claiming that he does not adhere to libertarian principles and is an authoritarian.

Leading Libertarian contenders Chase Oliver, Josh Smith, and Michael Rectenwald criticize Trump’s presence, saying the former president does not represent their party’s values.