Former US president Donald Trump was booed repeatedly while addressing the Libertarian Party National Convention on Saturday night, with many in the crowd shouting insults and decrying him for things such as his COVID-19 policies, running up towering federal deficits and lying about his political record.
When he took the stage, many jeered while some supporters clad in “Make America Great” hats and T-shirts cheered and chanted “USA.”
It was a rare moment of Trump coming face-to-face with open detractors, which is highly unusual for someone accustomed to staging rallies in front of ever-adoring crowds.
Photo: Reuters
Libertarians, who prioritize small government and individual freedoms, are often skeptical of Trump, and his invitation to address the convention has divided the party.
Trump tried to make light of that by referring to the four criminal indictments against him.
“If I wasn’t a Libertarian before, I sure as hell am a Libertarian now,” he joked.
Trump tried to praise “fierce champions of freedom in this room” and called US President Joe Biden a “tyrant” and the “worst president in the history of the United States,” prompting some in the audience to scream back: “That’s you.”
As the insults continued, Trump eventually hit back.
“You don’t want to win,” he said, adding that some Libertarians want to “keep getting your 3 percent every four years.”
Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson won about 3 percent of the national vote in 2016.
Libertarians were to pick their White House nominee during their convention, which wrapped up on yesterday.
Trump’s appearance also gave him a chance to court voters who might otherwise support independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr who gave his own Libertarian convention speech on Friday.
Polls have shown for months that most voters do not want a 2020 rematch between Trump and Biden. That dynamic could potentially boost support for an alternative such as the Libertarian nominee or Kennedy, whose candidacy has allies of Biden and Trump concerned that he could be a spoiler.
Despite the raucous atmosphere, Trump continued to press on with his speech, saying he had come “to extend a hand of friendship” in common opposition to Biden.
That prompted a chant of “We want Trump” from supporters, but more cries of “End the Fed” — a common refrain from Libertarians who oppose the US Federal Reserve.
One person who held up a sign reading “No wannabe dictators” was dragged away by security.
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