Former President Donald Trump has accepted an invitation to speak at the Libertarian Party's national convention later this month and to answer members' concerns while commenting that if Libertarians join forces with Republicans, "the election won't even be close" between him and President Joe Biden.
"Libertarians are some of the most independent and thoughtful thinkers in our country, and I am honored to join them in Washington, D.C., later this month," the presumptive GOP presidential nominee said in an announcement from the Libertarian Party to Newsmax. "We must all work together to help advance freedom and liberty for every American, and a second Trump administration will achieve that goal."
Trump's speech is scheduled for May 25, and he said the event will be "attended by many of my great friends."
"We all have to remember that our goal is to defeat the worst president in the history of the United States, BY FAR, crooked Joe Biden," Trump said.
Libertarian Party National Chairwoman Angela McArdle, meanwhile, said the party plans to share a list of its top 10 issues with Trump before the convention in hopes of making an impact on his policy positions.
"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," McArdle said. "We will do everything in our power to use this incredible opportunity to advance the message of liberty."
The party also invited Biden to speak, but there was no indication that he had responded.
This year's convention theme is "Become Ungovernable."
The theme was chosen, the Libertarians said, "following the previous years of unconscionable authoritarian actions by the United States federal, and state governments, which saw citizens confined, indoctrinated, lied to, and inoculated against their will."
Several other speakers have been confirmed for the convention, which will also decide the party's 2024 presidential candidate.
In addition to Trump, speakers include cardiologist and epidemiologist, Dr. Peter McCullough; Gabriel Shipton, a filmmaker and brother of Julian Assange; “Part of the Problem Host,” Dave Smith; freedom advocate, historian, and Bitcoin futurist, Robert Breedlove; and Jo Anne and Mark Skousen, longtime liberty activists, founders of Freedom Fest and the Anthem Libertarian Film Festival.
Several Libertarian Party presidential candidates have come from the Republican ranks, reports The Washington Examiner. In 2008, the party ran former Rep. Bob Barr, R-Ga., as its nominee, and in 2012 and 2016, former GOP New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson served as the nominee.
Meanwhile, in the 2020 election, Libertarian candidate Jo Jorgensen netted 1.2% of the national vote, coming in third place behind Biden and Trump.