Former U.S. President Donald Trump garnered mixed reactions during his speech at the Liberal National Conference, where he urged the party to "unite with Republicans" to overcome President Joe Biden in the presidential elections. He stated, "The truth is, we should not fight each other. If Joe Biden returns to power, there will be no freedom for anyone in our country. Unite with us in partnership; we ask this of liberals; we must work together and unite with us."
Trump emphasized to an audience at the Washington Hilton Hotel on Saturday evening: "You must unite with us." These remarks elicited a mix of boos and cheers from a crowd of liberals and Trump supporters. The former president conveyed that his appearance at the conference was to "extend a hand of friendship" to the party, which he claimed "can make a big difference."
Trump further appealed by saying, "I ask for the support of the liberal party, or at least a lot of your votes," which drew boos but also cheers like "We want Trump" from his supporters in the crowd. In a clear critique of the party's recent polling struggles, Trump remarked, "Maybe you don’t want to win. Keep getting 3% every four years."
As part of his appeal to the party, Trump also pledged to appoint a liberal in his administration if he wins the Oval Office in 2024, and to ease the sentence of Ross Ulbricht, who is serving a life sentence for his role in operating a platform for buying and selling illegal drugs. The hall erupted in applause, and chants of "Free Ross" rose several times throughout the speech.
Trump's remarks followed a day after independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s speech to a crowd of liberals at the same event, where he criticized the former president for his administration's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. Trump's presence at the liberal conference signifies a potential threat posed by Kennedy's third-party candidacy. Additional chairs were brought in before Trump's speech to accommodate both liberals and Trump supporters filling the hall, following reports that Kennedy’s presentation attracted a smaller audience.
Trump is heading toward a rematch with Biden in the fall, and the two have committed to face each other in two debates, while Kennedy has criticized his exclusion. Many recent polls have reported troubling news for Biden regarding key battleground states.
