THE INTERVIEW
U.S. ELECTIONS
Libertarian presidential candidate Chase Oliver talks to Newsweek about Trump, Biden, NATO, Gaza and maximum freedom
LIBERTARIAN PRESIDENTIAL candidate Chase Oliver may be a long shot, but he sees himself as having one key advantage over former President Donald Trump and incumbent President Joe Biden—his age.
The 38-year-old Georgia native is less than half the age of both dominant candidates, as Trump is 78 and Biden is 81. Even when broadening the field to include fellow third-party contenders Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (70), Jill Stein (74) and Cornel West (71), Oliver is still decades younger—a fact he’s hoping can boost his campaign with millennial and Generation Z voters.
“It’s time for our generation to really rise up,” he told Newsweek in an exclusive interview.
Oliver believes that Americans should have the maximum freedom over their own lives without government interference. In his view, drugs should be decriminalized, people should have “bodily autonomy” to make their own health care decisions in consultation with their doctors and the constitutional right to have guns should “not be infringed.”
The Libertarian candidate also wants the U.S. to withdraw from NATO and bring home American troops stationed overseas, while doing away with military aid to foreign nations. That includes Israel, which Oliver says is currently committing a “genocide” in Gaza. He also hopes to phase out Medicare and Social Security, saying these programs are not sustainable given the national debt currently stands near $35 trillion.
Speaking to Newsweek, the Libertarian candidate explained his views on a range of issues, from Donald Trump’s legal troubles to foreign wars and why he believes the country needs a new, younger generation to take power.
The interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.
Newsweek _ A lot of Americans still aren’t very aware of who you are. Can you briefly explain who you are and what your campaign is about?
Oliver insists street violence would decrease if drugs were made legal and addiction was seen as a medical issue.
Chase Oliver _ I’m 38 years old. I’ll be 39 on Election Day. That’s half Donald Trump’s age. And I live in Atlanta, Georgia. I’ve lived here for over 10 years now and grew up in Snellville, Georgia, which is a suburb of Atlanta.
I got my start being an anti-war activist. And then moved on to become a criminal justice reform advocate and somebody who has always spoken up for things like ballot access.
My professional career, I did 13 years in the restaurant industry. I started out as a dishwasher and then worked my way through the industry. Then [I] got into the logistics industry f
