Libertarian VP candidate Bill Weld pivots to focus solely on stopping Donald Trump

Libertarian vice presidential candidate Bill Weld

(Image credit: George Frey/Getty Images)

last updated 5 October 2016

Resigned to the fact that Libertarian presidential nominee Gary Johnson probably won't win the presidency, Johnson's vice presidential candidate Bill Weld has decided to divert his energy to one thing and one thing only: making sure Donald Trump loses in November. "I think Mr. Trump's proposals in the foreign policy area, including nuclear proliferation, tariffs, and free trade, would be so hurtful, domestically and in the world, that he has my full attention," Weld told the Boston Globe in an interview published Tuesday. Weld noted that while he might not see eye-to-eye with Hillary Clinton on "fiscal and military issues, Trump's agenda is so objectionable it's 'in a class by itself.'"

Weld insisted he still supports Johnson and the Libertarian Party — at least for the rest of this year. Weld said Johnson, who admitted earlier Tuesday that he "wasn't meant to be president," is on board with his anti-Trump plan. "I have had in mind all along trying to get the Donald into third place," Weld said, "and with some tugging and hauling, we might get there."