Neither former President Donald Trump nor independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will be the Libertarian Party’s presidential nominee after both failed to make it through the party’s nomination process Sunday.
Trump, who was nominated by New Mexico Delegate Brian Poetter, did not qualify as he is not a member of the Libertarian Party, spokeswoman Jennifer Haubein told the Washington Examiner, eliminating him as an option before the party started voting. Meanwhile, Kennedy did not receive enough votes in the first round of voting to continue to the next round and was eliminated.
“The reason I didn’t file paperwork for the Libertarian Nomination, which I would have absolutely gotten if I wanted it (as everyone could tell by the enthusiasm of the Crowd last night!), was the fact that, as the Republican Nominee, I am not allowed to have the Nomination of another Party,” Trump posted on Truth Social Sunday afternoon. “Regardless, I believe I will get a Majority of the Libertarian Votes. Junior’ Kennedy is a Radical Left Democrat, who’s destroyed everything he’s touched, especially in New York and New England, and in particular, as it relates to the Cost and Practicality of Energy.”
Trump added, “He’s not a Libertarian. Only a FOOL would vote for him!”
Pennsylvania Delegate Nathan Romig and Hector Roos, a delegate from Florida, nominated Kennedy, who reportedly accepted the nomination.
Kennedy also issued a statement Sunday afternoon on X after he was eliminated, saying that it was an “unexpected honor” to be considered for the nomination.
“I would have accepted the nomination if offered because independents and third parties need to unite right now to reclaim our country from the corrupt two-party system,” Kennedy wrote. “It was a high point of my campaign to speak at the @LPNational convention on Friday about our shared and urgent concerns.”
Kennedy continued, “Together we will break the stranglehold of the Uniparty; end the forever wars; pardon Julian Assange, Edward Snowden, and Ross Ulbricht; dismantle wasteful and abusive bureaucracies, and restore the authority of the Bill of Rights. Let’s take our country back.”
Some other notable nominees included Libertarians Chase Oliver, Mike Ter Maat, and Michael Rectenwald.
Earlier on Sunday, a point of order was raised that Kennedy would not be permitted to run as a Libertarian because he did not sign a statement that he was going to seek the nomination as a condition of being a speaker at the event. However, after some back and forth, the party moved forward with allowing Kennedy to be considered.
Nicole Shanahan, Kennedy’s pick for vice president, was in attendance at the convention.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Trump asked to receive the Libertarian nomination during his speech in front of the third party Saturday night; however, his request was mostly met with booing and jeers from members of the Libertarian Party.
“If he thinks he’s going to win our party’s nomination, he’s more delusional than I thought,” Libertarian Party presidential contender Chase Oliver said following Trump’s remarks. “… If Donald Trump thinks that he can come in here in our house and earn our nomination, he’s got another thing coming.”
