Donald Trump faced a hostile reception at the Libertarian National Convention, where he was booed and heckled by many in the audience. The former president, known for his fervently loyal supporters, was met with loud jeers and boos as he took the stage in Washington.
Libertarians, who advocate for limited government and individual freedom, blame Trump for his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly his rush to create a vaccine and his failure to prevent public health restrictions on the unvaccinated. One party member even shouted, “Donald Trump should have taken a bullet!” before Trump appeared.
Despite the negative reception, Trump tried to appeal to libertarians by denouncing President Joe Biden and the Democrats as part of a “rise in left-wing fascism.” He urged libertarians to work with him to defeat Biden in the upcoming election, but his appeal was met with more boos from the crowd.
Trump’s appearance at the convention was seen as an attempt to peel away some libertarian support, especially with the presence of third-party candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has long opposed vaccines and mandates. Trump has been ramping up attacks on Kennedy, calling him a “fake” anti-vaccination proponent.
In a surprising move, Trump promised to commute the sentence of Ross Ulbricht, who is serving a life sentence for operating the website Silk Road, a promise that garnered huge applause from the crowd. Despite the mixed reception, Trump remained undeterred in his efforts to win over libertarian voters in the upcoming election.