Former President Donald Trump’s bid to extend a “hand of friendship” to attendees of the Libertarian National Convention was met with rejection on Saturday night.
Trump sought the Libertarian Party’s endorsement, urging delegates to support him for a victory and offering to appoint a Libertarian to his cabinet if reelected.
“Nominate me or at least vote for me and we should win together,” Trump said, emphasizing that the party could secure more than the 3% of the vote it garnered in the 2016 election.
“Don’t waste a vote,” he later emphasized.
In a contrast to his typically energetic rallies attended by ardent supporters, Trump was met with loud booing from Libertarian attendees, competing against cheers from his own supporters present at the event Saturday night in Washington D.C.
After being loudly booed upon taking the stage, Trump questioned aloud why he chose to speak before a hostile crowd.
“A lot of people ask why I came to speak at this Libertarian convention and you know, it’s an interesting question, isn’t it,” Trump said. “But we’re gonna have a lot of fun.”
Trump’s appearance at the convention comes as he seeks to garner support from independents and swing voters. His potential rematch with President Joe Biden might hinge on mere thousands of votes in key swing states. Both Biden and Trump face a challenge from Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an independent candidate who addressed the convention and received a warmer reception.
“I want to thank you I want your support and again, you can either nominate us and put us in the position or give us your votes. I would say nominate or give us your votes,” Trump concluded. “But we want Libertarian votes because you stand for what we stand for.”
