The Ron Paul In A Trump Administration?
Trump crashed the convention and made a promise that if the Libertarians delivered “significant” votes, he would place a libertarian in his cabinet. Will they deliver?
OPINION: This article contains commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
I’m a former Libertarian.
In my piece “Find Your Courage to Swing,” I described my journey from being a lifelong Democrat to joining the Republican Party as -feeling like a 12-step recovery process. I made a u-turn, briefly exploring the Libertarian Party, but my values are rooted in solid conservatism. Now, I identify as a liberty-Republican, keeping a close watch on the party.
The Libertarian National Convention
Many Libertarians have vowed to support former President Donald Trump in response to his promises made during his speech at the Libertarian National Convention, potentially delivering a significant number of votes to his campaign. In May, Trump received a mixed reception at the Convention in Washington, D.C., as he sought support for his 2024 presidential bid. While some attendees cheered, he was met with substantial boos and heckling throughout his speech. The LP Convention concluded with Chase Oliver emerging as the Libertarian Presidential nominee, a result that proved very unpopular among some party members forcing many to support Trump. Chase Oliver is known as a “left-leaning” libertarian not a part of the LP Mises Caucus currently in control of the party.
Popular Libertarian Dave Smith declared that he "can’t endorse or vote for" Chase Oliver. Although Smith refrained from endorsing or committing to vote for Trump, his position remains clear. Smith, who was expected to be the Libertarian nominee for president, did not run due to family reasons. Meanwhile, another influential Libertarian, TopLobsta, questioned, "Is Trump still available to be the nominee? It would be less of an embarrassment." This sentiment reflects the frustration among many Libertarians, with another member stating that having "a terrible candidate" could benefit Trump. Tim Pool, founder of Timcast, succinctly summarized the situation: “Trump won the LP after all.”
Jeremy Kauffman, who is a central libertarian figure, clearly stated “I’m standing with Donald Trump.” While I disagree with Kauffman (often) - he does have a large base so his voice matters.
In his address, Trump displayed his characteristic bravado and called for unity against President Joe Biden. He made a direct pitch to the Libertarian Party to consider endorsing him or voting for him in large numbers. Trump claimed alignment with libertarian principles due to his legal battles and denouncing what he called "left-wing fascism" under the Biden administration. However, his comments about the Libertarian Party’s past electoral performance garning 3%, and his suggestion that they nominate him were met with hostility from the crowd.
Despite tension, Trump attempted to find common ground by emphasizing shared beliefs in limited government and individual freedom. The convention, already controversial from the outset, saw further disruption as Trump supporters clashed with Libertarian attendees over seating and other issues.
During his speech, Trump made several promises aimed at appealing to Libertarian voters. He pledged to include a Libertarian in his cabinet if he won the election and committed to considering a pardon for Ross Ulbricht, who is serving a life sentence for creating and operating the Silk Road website. This particular promise received significant applause, as many Libertarians view Ulbricht's sentencing as overly harsh and a violation of individual freedom.
Trump also emphasized his stance on defending individual freedoms, suggesting that his ongoing legal battles against what he described as left-wing fascism were a testament to his commitment to these ideals. He hinted at a non-interventionist foreign policy, aligning with Libertarian views on minimizing U.S. involvement in foreign conflicts. Additionally, Trump criticized the current administration for increasing government control and reiterated his commitment to reducing the size and influence of the federal government, a key Libertarian objective.
These promises were part of Trump's broader strategy to sway Libertarian voters, a group that could play a crucial role in the tightly contested 2024 presidential election. Despite the hostile reception from many attendees, Trump aimed to highlight common ground on issues of personal liberty and limited government. Being Libertarian conducted a poll in which 34,507 people participated. The results showed that 85% of the respondents would vote for Trump.
At the time, newly re-elected Libertarian Chair, Angela McCardle said, “All of my critics were WRONG. I made the right call to invite Donald Trump and if libertarians can behave themselves, he will free Ross Ulbricht and put one of us in his cabinet. Ball's in your court, libertarians. We are getting in that administration.”
Ron Paul To Join the Unity Ticket.
Ron Paul, a former Libertarian Party presidential nominee, has joined Team Unity. Having him on a Trump unity ticket would be a big win for libertarians, putting their core beliefs into mainstream politics. Paul has spent his life pushing for limited government, individual freedom, and a non-interventionist approach to foreign policy, ideas that connect with many voters who feel left out by the usual political divide. His presence would show a real commitment to cutting back the power of federal agencies, questioning the Federal Reserve’s influence on our economy, and defending civil liberties. Paul’s consistency and honesty could drive real change in how the administration tackles issues like government spending, taxes, and personal rights. For libertarians, this means having someone at the top level of government who is serious about shrinking government power and defending individual freedoms.
Libertarian Chair Angela McArdle is feeling a real sense of vindication seeing Trump speak at the convention, knowing it’s a chance to bring liberty-minded values to the forefront. So let’s rally, liberty folks—if we back Trump, we could see a voice like Ron Paul’s influencing real change. Imagine a cabinet that genuinely values personal freedom, limited government, and the courage to challenge the status quo. This is our moment to make liberty more than just an ideal—let’s make it a reality.
