With that single post, the final significant banner in the liberty movement fell to Trump. The idea that Ron Paul could make a triumphant return to DC, enabled by a President Trump and Elon Musk, was enough to bring over many of the last holdouts to the campaign. Trump has done more to court libertarian voters than any Republican president since Reagan. And even Reagan lost Ron Paul’s support for his reelection campaign. It should be noted that Paul has not officially endorsed Trump, but the octogenarian doctor has made Trump-friendly noises lately, tweeting excitedly about J.D. Vance’s comments on how he’s “not a Ron Paul guy,” but that he’s coming around to his position on the Federal Reserve. Vance could even take the ball further on that issue than my own circulating of Ron Paul’s petitions to support an audit of the Federal Reserve back in 2009 (Bernie Sanders ultimately killed that bill.)
Donald Trump’s coalition of outsiders, reformers, populists, libertarians, conservatives, and independent thinkers is set on reducing waste, strengthening individual freedom by reining in Big Tech, and putting Elon and (Ron Paul? Please?) in charge of cutting bureaucracy. That should be more than enough to get most libertarian votes, outside of the employees at Reason Magazine who seem to be voting either Libertarian or some for Kamala Harris. Though Trump is not a libertarian, his alliances bring many libertarian principles closer to the mainstream. We need that now more than we need purity tests.
I went from Trump critic to elected Trump delegate in Missouri after trying unsuccessfully to gain the Libertarian Party’s nomination for president in 2016. I had no faith in him or the GOP to do the right thing after decades of abuse of our civil and economic liberties. But Trump proved my cynicism wrong. During his presidency, he implemented reforms that many libertarians had been advocating for years, like Right to Try, or the First Step Act, positions which hurt him with the base that broke for Ron DeSantis during the primary. During his term however, Trump also cut regulations at a historic pace, eliminating nearly 8 regulations for every new one introduced, which resulted in a reduction of over $50 billion in regulatory costs for businesses.
The Trump administration’s tax cuts allowed Americans to keep more of their own money, offering a level of economic freedom not seen in years. Trump’s tax cuts lowered the tax rate for middle-class families, nearly doubling the standard deduction and increasing the Child Tax Credit, which led to an average savings of around $1,600 per household. With my first child still in diapers, and plans for more. I don’t have time or resources to consider the official libertarian position on tax credits and whether that’s right or wrong. I have to do what is right for my family.
Trump’s judicial appointments also focused on constitutional limits, helping shape a judiciary that respects individual rights and holds government power in check. Justice Neil Gorsuch may be the most libertarian Supreme Court justice in history, but time will tell. And then there are his other federal judges, such as Don Willett for example. Willett embodies a strong libertarian approach to limiting government power. He is known for his skepticism toward government overreach, a perspective showcased in Patel v. Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, where he argued against burdensome licensing laws that restricted economic freedom. In his dissent, he wrote, “The Texas Constitution... guards equally against plutocracy and paternalism... [and] entitles Texans... to earn an honest living without unreasonable government interference.” These are the kinds of judges I want to see on the bench, and only Trump has the power to do this.
Speaking of Judges, I have to admit sadly that I have been unable to convince my old friend and boss Judge Andrew Napolitano to support Trump, despite the fact that 45 was one of the closest presidents we’ve had to the libertarian position foreign policy-wise. “The Judge,” as he’s known, seems hyper-fixated on the Israel/Gaza conflict and does not seem to believe that Trump will change anything for the positive in the Middle East. He still sees Trump as not much different from Kamala Harris. Still, some foreign policy-focused libertarians and prominent LP members like Dave Smith, who once referred to Donald Trump as a blood soaked war criminal who should “spend his life in prison,” has decided that Trump’s libertarian positives outweigh his war criminal negatives. Even the most anti-Israel libertarians are so convinced by Trump that they’re voting for the most pro-Israel candidate in the race. Pragmatism Uber Alles!
Trump’s campaign has built an unusual coalition with figures like RFK Jr., Tulsi Gabbard, and Vivek Ramaswamy, each bringing perspectives that align with some key libertarian values, while departing from others. RFK Jr. supports health freedom and stands against unchecked pharmaceutical influence, Tulsi Gabbard has been a consistent advocate for anti-war policies, and Vivek Ramaswamy has focused on individual liberty and state sovereignty. Together, these voices represent a commitment to challenging government overreach and restoring personal freedoms. And Trump himself has stated that he will keep RFK Jr. away from the oil and gas industry, a shrewd move that shows Trump seems to recognize how to avoid problems like he had in his first administration with staffing.
Trump’s coalition also resonates internationally, particularly with Argentine President Javier Milei, whose free-market views and criticism of government overreach align closely with Trump’s. A Trump-Milei partnership could strengthen an international front focused on reducing bureaucracy and promoting economic freedom. Within the U.S., Ramaswamy’s “libertarian nationalist” approach mirrors Milei’s and complements Trump’s desire to work with friendly nations like Argentina. Since Milei’s election, I have built relationships with Argentine libertarians, and they are entirely behind Trump, lock-step. They know that their nation will fare better by building closer relationships with American industry and mutual trade. They know that Trump is the enemy of their enemies, and a friend to their president Javier Milei. The possibilities of a team-up between the two of them could create exciting international wins for the liberty movement, not just domestic ones.
The Libertarian Party (LP) has struggled to achieve meaningful influence, often alienating potential allies instead of building broader coalitions. Chase Oliver’s ill-fated campaign has raised less money than any other LP candidate in history, while tacking hard left on social issues that have alienated even prominent trans libertarian activists like Sara Higdon, who have thrown in with Trump due to Oliver’s lack of enthusiasm for protecting children from leftist activists.
Alternatively, Angela McArdle, the current LP chair, has made some progress by engaging with Trump and encouraging him to consider issues like pardoning Ross Ulbricht, the Silk Road founder, for which she has been roundly pilloried for her lack of principle by some party loyalists. Michael Heise of Pennsylvania founded the Libertarian Party Mises Caucus, steering the party toward a more radical approach compared to 2016, when former Republican governors Gary Johnson of New Mexico and William Weld of Massachusetts ran as the Libertarian presidential and vice-presidential nominees. Their takeover of the party being unsuccessful, Heise has since affirmed his support for Trump.
Mises Caucus Chairman Aaron Harris praised current party chair Angela McArdle for leading a successful 2024 convention, where Libertarians secured key commitments from Trump, including a pledge to appoint at least one libertarian to his cabinet and to work toward freeing Ross Ulbricht from prison.
Trump’s coalition may be the most realistic opportunity for libertarians to push back against government expansion and support individual freedoms. While disagreements on certain issues, like tariffs, remain, Trump’s administration would offer libertarians a platform to influence policy and advocate for a leaner government. For libertarians who prioritize results, supporting Trump is a strategic choice. A vote for Trump on Tuesday is a vote for a coalition that is independent, opposed to censorship, pro-American, anti-woke, largely pro-capitalism, and built around a diverse group of citizens hungry for change.
A marble plaque that was a gift from my 2016 presidential campaign supporters hangs outside my house featuring a gaited horse in front of a setting sun. The inscription reads, “Liberty By Sunset,” and is a nod to Stonegait Farm where I lived as a boy and my quote from 2016 where I said I was tired of the Libertarian phrase “Liberty in Our Lifetimes.” I was ready to up the timeline. “Liberty by sunset!” Many suns have set since those days I stood in front of an audience of thousands and opposed Trump for the White House. Now I stand outside my home looking across the dark fields and wondering if the sun will still rise in a free country next year. As I grow older I realize that time for liberty is running out. Principles should be kept, but not at the expense of losing every freedom we have. Life is about tradeoffs. The definition of the word utopia is literally “no place.” There is no perfect solution, there is only a better solution, and in 2024, the best solution we have for liberty in our lifetimes is Donald Trump for President of the United States.
