Campaign

Trump to address Libertarian Party convention

Former President Trump speaks at a Get Out The Vote rally in Conway, S.C., Feb. 10, 2024. Trump still says he's proud that the Supreme Court justices he nominated overturned Roe v. Wade. Yet he avoided questions about whether he would support a national abortion ban should he return to the White House.

Former President Trump is planning to speak at the Libertarian Party’s convention in Washington, D.C., later this month, his campaign confirmed Wednesday. 

Trump will “address concerns voiced by its members” during the event May 25, the party said in a statement. The convention, which will take place May 23-26 at a D.C. hotel, is where the party will nominate its presidential ticket. 

“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,” Trump said in a statement. “We must all work together to help advance freedom and liberty for every American, and a second Trump Administration will achieve that goal.” 

The Libertarian Party said it invited both the presumptive GOP nominee and President Biden to address the convention. Biden is not slated to speak.

Independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who previously flirted with the possibility of being the party’s nominee, said he would not run as a Libertarian in mid-April. Kennedy attended the California Libertarian Party state convention in February.

Apart from the former president, other speakers attending the convention include cardiologist and epidemiologist Dr. Peter McCullough, comedian Dave Smith, Julian Assange’s brother Gabriel Shipton, entrepreneur Robert Breedlove, and economist Mark Skousen.

Trump’s appearance will give him an opportunity to court more third-party voters as he looks to secure a win in November. 

“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 former president said. 

The convention’s four-day schedule will include events, award presentations and ultimately nominating the party’s White House ticket. In 2020, the party nominated Jo Jorgensen.

“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,” the party Chair  Angela McArdle said in a statement.

“We will do everything in our power to use this incredible opportunity to advance the message of liberty.”