5 key moments from Trump’s Libertarian National Convention speech: From boos to bold promises

By Conrad Dias
Published on : 04:31 PST, May 27, 2024

Donald Trump tried to woo Libertarians voters but their response was not what he had expected (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Trump’s Libertarian National Convention speech: 5 top moments that got everyone talking

WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 25: Former U.S. President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump addresses the Libertarian Party National Convention at the Washington Hilton on May 25, 2024 in Washington, DC. Trump addressed the convention one day after Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the independent candidate for president. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) — Donald Trump addressed the Libertarian National Convention on May 25, 2024 (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

At the Libertarian National Convention in Washington, DC, on Saturday, May 25, former President Donald Trump made an appearance in front of a raucous audience. Trump's turbulent ride to a Washington hotel on Saturday night, riddled with slogans like "F**k you!" and "Bull**t!", highlighted the difficulty the Republican presidential nominee confronts in expanding his appeal to both the left and the right of the political spectrum. Here are the top 5 moments from Trump’s Libertarian National Convention speech that got everyone talking, ranging from shouted jeers to promising to liberate a dark web kingpin.

1. Trump mercilessly jeered by convention attendees

WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 25: Supporters and critics of former U.S. President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump cheer and jeer as Trump addresses the Libertarian Party National Convention at the Washington Hilton on May 25, 2024 in Washington, DC. Trump addressed the convention one day after Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the independent candidate for president. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) — The convention attendees jeered at Donald Trump the moment he took the stage (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Convention attendees jeered at Trump the moment he took the stage; some held banners reading 'Free Ross [Ulbricht]' and gave him the 'thumbs down'. Moreover, 'MAGA = Socialist' was written on one placard. Attempting to maintain composure, the former president looked around him as the raucous applause drowned out his iconic entrance song 'God Bless the U.S.A'.

2. Trump ensures cabinet post for Libertarians

Former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to the media after his trial for allegedly covering up hush money payments at Manhattan Criminal Court on May 20, 2024 in New York City. Trump faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in the first of his criminal cases to go to trial. (Photo by Mark Peterson - Pool/Getty Images) — Donald Trump urged Libertarians to 'nominate' or 'vote' for him (Mark Peterson - Pool/Getty Images)

In a further attempt to calm the crowd, Trump declared that if he wins, he would assign Libertarians to positions in his cabinet. Nevertheless, when Trump fulfilled his pledge to the party, the jeers persisted. He said, "Now, I think you should nominate me, or at least vote for me, and we should win together. You heard those words: nominate or vote, vote for me."

3. Trump promises to free Silk Road founder

WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 25: Members of the Libertarian Party stand in chairs while chanting and demanding the release of Ross Ulbricht during the party's national convention at the Washington Hilton on May 25, 2024 in Washington, DC. Ulbricht is the founder of the darknet site Silk Road and is currently serving a life sentence in federal prison. Former U.S. President Donald Trump is running for a second term in the White House as a Republican and is scheduled to address the convention one day after Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the independent candidate for president. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) — Supporters of Ross Ulbricht distributed hundreds of black and white signs that read 'Free Ross' and Libertarians waved them after Donald Trump assured to free the Silk Road founder (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Ross Ulbricht, the founder of Silk Road and a well-known Libertarian figure, is currently serving a double life sentence for drug trafficking, hacking, and money laundering through his dark web-hosted website. Trump pledged to liberate Ulbricht. Trump said while cheers and chants of 'Free Ross' rent the air, "And if you vote for me on day one, I will commute the sentence of Ross Ulbricht to a sentence of time served. He’s already served 11 years. We’re gonna get him home. We’re gonna get him home."

4. Trump gives it back to the angry crowd

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - OCTOBER 22: U.S. President Donald Trump participates in the final presidential debate against Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden at Belmont University on October 22, 2020 in Nashville, Tennessee. This is the last debate between the two candidates before the election on November 3. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) — Donald Trump snapped back at the crowd after they jeered at him (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Trump cited a column in the American Spectator that said he should be the Libertarian Party's nominee for president. Trump's idea was responded with furious jeers. He told the crowd, "That’s nice. Only if you want to win, only if you want to win. Maybe you don’t want to win … If you want to lose, don’t do that. Keep getting your three percent every four years."

5. Trump supporters project his speech as a win

Vivek Ramaswamy shared his concerns about the gorund invasion in a recent Fox interview (Vivek Ramaswamy/YouTube) — Vivek Ramaswamy defended Donald Trump's Libertarian National Convention speech (Vivek Ramaswamy/YouTube)

Not long after Trump's speech, Utah Senator Mike Lee (R), who was heckled at the convention as well, uploaded a video on X and said the former president "knocked it out of the park". After the Biden-Harris campaign made fun of Trump's speech, Vivek Ramaswamy—who is rumored to be on Trump's shortlist for vice president—defended the former president. He wrote on X, "Shame on Biden. Real men face people who disagree with them, instead of hiding in their bunkers.

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