BIG VIDEO THREAD: Former President Trump received mostly boos from the Libertarians (a small VIP section plus 4 front rows) and cheers of support tonight from his supporters (who got most of the other seats) as he spoke in front of the Libertarian National Convention, who on Sunday will be nominating their own candidate for president.
Trump spoke in front of the "Become Ungovernable" logo featuring the anarchist circle-A.
The speech was unprecedented where for a major party candidate speaking at a rival political party's nominating convention.
Trump spoke in front of the "Become Ungovernable" logo featuring the anarchist circle-A.
The speech was unprecedented where for a major party candidate speaking at a rival political party's nominating convention.
2) As the Libertarians (closest few rows to the president) largely booed Trump and the MAGA (about 3/4 of the room, closest to the press riser) cheered him, some Libertarians stood with their backs to the former president during the speech.
3) Some context for this event can be found in the thread below.
Trump supporters filled much of the room about an hour and a half before the Libertarian delegates finished their work in another ballroom.
Delegates ultimately got back four front rows.
Trump supporters filled much of the room about an hour and a half before the Libertarian delegates finished their work in another ballroom.
Delegates ultimately got back four front rows.
https://x.com/FordFischer/status/1794490528090001450
4) "You have to combine with us," Trump proposed, prompting boos and thumbs down among the Libertarians closest to the stage.
Behind them, Trump supporters cheered and chanted "Trump!"
Behind them, Trump supporters cheered and chanted "Trump!"
5) Libertarian delegate @starchildsf held a banner saying "NO WANNA-BE DICTATORS!" in front of Trump before it appears that Trump supporters grabbed it away while others chanted "kick them out!" as Trump kept speaking at the Libertarian Convention.
@starchildsf 6) Security roughly forced Libertarian Delegate @starchildsf away from the speech.
Starchild went to the floor multiple times during the struggle, during which time Trump continued speaking without acknowledging the commotion.
Starchild went to the floor multiple times during the struggle, during which time Trump continued speaking without acknowledging the commotion.
@starchildsf 7) "The Libertarian Party should nominate Trump for president of the United States," Trump said, prompting cheers among his own and thumbs down and boos from the Libertarians.
"Only if you wanna win," Trump added. "Maybe you don't wanna win."
"Only if you wanna win," Trump added. "Maybe you don't wanna win."
@starchildsf 8) Trump said he would make a political prisoner task force including Libertarians on it, prompting them to hold @Free_Ross signs and chant "Free Ross!" to Trump.
He added that he would "pardon the peaceful January 6 protesters or, as I often call them, the hostages."
He added that he would "pardon the peaceful January 6 protesters or, as I often call them, the hostages."
9) "If you vote for me, on day 1, I will commute the sentence of Ross Ulbricht," Trump said, sparking thunderous applause from Libertarian and MAGA.
"He's already served 11 years, we're gonna get him home."
The promise to free @RealRossU was his strongest moment with the crowd.
"He's already served 11 years, we're gonna get him home."
The promise to free @RealRossU was his strongest moment with the crowd.
@RealRossU 10) "You cannot have capitalism and also have open borders," claimed Trump, prompting thumbs down and boos from the Libertarian portion of the crowd, including those with their backs turned to the former president.
11) "I want your support, and again, you can either nominate us and put us in the position or give us your votes," Trump concluded with the Libertarians, who booed (and squeezed a rubber chicken that made it through security).
"Don't allow the worst president in the history of our country to come back and do the final destruction of America. Thank you very much everybody. God bless you."
"Don't allow the worst president in the history of our country to come back and do the final destruction of America. Thank you very much everybody. God bless you."
12) I spoke with two of the Libertarian delegates who held their backs to Trump during the speech.
"We don't want him here in the first place. He's not a Libertarian," one told me. "He drone bombed Syria, so for him to claim he started no new wars is just a lie."
"We don't want him here in the first place. He's not a Libertarian," one told me. "He drone bombed Syria, so for him to claim he started no new wars is just a lie."
13) The three leading Libertarian candidates for president according to a straw poll spoke after Trump.
@ChaseForLiberty said "We just had a neocon war criminal on our stage a few minutes ago."
"I have a message for Donald Trump: I want you to go to sleep at night and think about all the innocent people in Syria you killed with your airstrikes with your supposed 'no new wars.'"
By this time, as you can see in the clip, most Trump supporters promptly left, leaving only the Libertarian portion of the room.
@ChaseForLiberty said "We just had a neocon war criminal on our stage a few minutes ago."
"I have a message for Donald Trump: I want you to go to sleep at night and think about all the innocent people in Syria you killed with your airstrikes with your supposed 'no new wars.'"
By this time, as you can see in the clip, most Trump supporters promptly left, leaving only the Libertarian portion of the room.
14) "What I think has happened today is that the Libertarian Party has moved the needle toward liberty," said Dr. Michael Rectenwald @RecTheRegime.
"We will crack this tyranny!"
"We have started a major movement. Let's keep it going. It's time to wreck the regime!"
"We will crack this tyranny!"
"We have started a major movement. Let's keep it going. It's time to wreck the regime!"
15) Mike ter Maat @terMaatMike, who walked out during the Trump speech said "if you vote anything but a party that represents your values, you are wasting your vote!"
"If you want the real thing, come home to the Libertarian Party!"
"If you want the real thing, come home to the Libertarian Party!"
16) I asked the candidates their least favorite part of the Trump speech.
@terMaatMike said "I think it was the part that he said 'hello'" and described Trump claiming he's a Libertarian because he was indicted.
@ChaseForLiberty said Trump claiming he was a Libertarian "is just insulting to our principles" and also "he tried to claim that he started no new wars when he continued the wars that have been going on for decades in this country."
"You don't get credit for not starting new wars, you only get credit for ending wars."
@terMaatMike said "I think it was the part that he said 'hello'" and described Trump claiming he's a Libertarian because he was indicted.
@ChaseForLiberty said Trump claiming he was a Libertarian "is just insulting to our principles" and also "he tried to claim that he started no new wars when he continued the wars that have been going on for decades in this country."
"You don't get credit for not starting new wars, you only get credit for ending wars."
17) Dr. Michael Rectenwald @RecTheRegime said in response to my question "the Trump speech was so buffoonish and so forth that I couldn't take it that seriously."
"How high are you?" someone in the audience asked.
"Not high enough," he answered. "Hey, I'm living liberty today."
"How high are you?" someone in the audience asked.
"Not high enough," he answered. "Hey, I'm living liberty today."
18) I also asked about Trump not speaking about the LP's demands to pardon Julian Assange and Edward Snowden, while promising to free January 6ers.
"Because he's so damn self-serving" said @terMaatMike.
@ChaseForLiberty added: "If Trump cared about anybody but himself, whether you agree with it or not, he would have pardoned those January 6 protesters before he left office."
"He didn't do it because he knew he was going to run for office again and he knew that would be an albatross around his neck."
"When it comes to why he doesn't want to pardon Julian Assange or Edward Snowden, it's because he's part of the warfare state that's exporting death and violence around the world and they exposed it."
"Because he's so damn self-serving" said @terMaatMike.
@ChaseForLiberty added: "If Trump cared about anybody but himself, whether you agree with it or not, he would have pardoned those January 6 protesters before he left office."
"He didn't do it because he knew he was going to run for office again and he knew that would be an albatross around his neck."
"When it comes to why he doesn't want to pardon Julian Assange or Edward Snowden, it's because he's part of the warfare state that's exporting death and violence around the world and they exposed it."
19) As a quick PS: The vast majority of the media in the room was only there for the Trump speech - none of the rest of the convention - and promptly left when it ended.
Everything from this point forward in the thread was after most press packed up.
Everything from this point forward in the thread was after most press packed up.
https://x.com/FordFischer/status/1794603534064689194
20) With all due respect to Senator Lee, this is contrary to reality.
As I explained in the thread, the portion of the crowd that came from the delegates hall - the actual attendees of this conference - overwhelmingly booed Trump.
Most of the crowd, and virtually the entirety of the Trump camp, were outsiders to the conference.
As I explained in the thread, the portion of the crowd that came from the delegates hall - the actual attendees of this conference - overwhelmingly booed Trump.
Most of the crowd, and virtually the entirety of the Trump camp, were outsiders to the conference.
https://x.com/BasedMikeLee/status/1794544356009136238
https://x.com/FordFischer/status/1794489011257446618
https://x.com/FordFischer/status/1794490063449215122
https://x.com/FordFischer/status/1794490528090001450
21) While there were some critics in the crowd, Senator Mike Lee (R) gave a speech before Trump to the Libertarians, which was more warmly received, particularly because Lee announced legislation to End the Federal Reserve, a top priority for Libertarians.
22) This is my summary reel of the conflict over seating before the Trump speech.
While it may seem "in the weeds", I think it's historically important to understand how the seating ended up the way it was, and who was in the crowd.
While it may seem "in the weeds", I think it's historically important to understand how the seating ended up the way it was, and who was in the crowd.
23) Here is my full 4K documentary footage of Mike Lee's speech at the Libertarian National Convention, where most of the crowd was occupied by outside Trump supporters.
24) Here is my full documentary footage of former President Trump's speech to a room filled mostly with his own supporters, plus a handful of rows of attendees of the Libertarian National Convention where it took place.
25) And here is my full documentary footage of three Libertarian presidential candidates who held a press conference after the Trump speech.
As always, all footage is available to license.
As always, all footage is available to license.
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