At a conference in Washington last week, conservative libertarians and small-government advocates gathered to chart what they describe as a path back to relevance within the Republican Party. The Freedom Conservatism conference brought together wonks, activists, and elected officials united by their commitment to limited government, free markets, and personal liberty — principles they say have been crowded out during President Trump's dominance of conservative politics.
The gathering, now in its second year, reflects an effort by fusionist-minded conservatives to reassert themselves against what they call the "national conservatives" or NatCons, a faction that has risen to prominence during the Trump administration. National conservatives embrace economic populism and are more willing to wield government power to achieve policy goals — a philosophy Freedom Conservatives argue contradicts traditional conservative principles.
Paul Mueller, a senior research fellow at the American Institute for Economic Research, told attendees that ideas about governance tend to move in cycles, much like fashion trends. "We're coming a little bit out of a period where fusionism, the sort of freedom conservative, has been kind of out of fashion," Mueller said on a panel. "I think it's going to come back into fashion. I am optimistic on the whole."
What the Left Is Saying
Progressive critics argue that Freedom Conservatives represent the same donor-driven agenda that working-class Americans rejected in 2016 and 2024. They note that many conference participants have ties to the Koch brothers' network, which has historically advocated for tax cuts, deregulation, and cuts to social safety net programs that benefit lower-income Americans.
From the left's perspective, the tariff policies criticized by Freedom Conservative speakers like Akash Chougule represent a legitimate attempt to rebuild American manufacturing and protect domestic workers from foreign competition. Critics argue that unfettered free trade has contributed to deindustrialization in communities across the Rust Belt and South, and that tariffs — however imperfect — signal a willingness to prioritize American workers over global capital.
Progressive economists have also questioned whether the deregulatory agenda championed by organizations like Americans for Prosperity and the Competitive Enterprise Institute adequately accounts for externalities, worker protections, or consumer safety. They argue that "freedom" in this context primarily means freedom for corporations rather than ordinary citizens.
What the Right Is Saying
Freedom Conservatives frame their movement as a necessary correction to what they see as a departure from core conservative principles. Chougule, president of the Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity, argued that Trump's declining approval ratings among non-college educated white voters stem largely from "national conservative-driven self-inflicted errors like the tariffs." He said this creates an opening for his faction to reclaim influence.
Radio host Erick Erickson offered a sharper critique, warning that national conservatives are using conservatism as a "costume" while advancing ideas — central planning, protectionism, strongman politics — that traditional conservatism exists to resist. "They mean to smuggle in the very ideas — the central planners, the tariffs, the strongmen, the grand designers," Erickson said.
National Review editor Ramesh Ponnuru took a more diplomatic approach, arguing that Freedom Conservatives should seek common ground with national conservatives on shared goals while insisting that policy consider all American workers, including those in export industries and businesses dependent on imported supplies. He also warned against falling into a "caricature" of conservatives who are "dogmatically fixated on free markets to the exclusion of political realism or any concern for the cultural preconditions for a free society."
What the Numbers Show
Trump's approval ratings have shown volatility since taking office, with polling averages showing declines in certain voter segments. According to data cited by Chougule, Trump's drop among non-college educated white voters — a core demographic — has been significant enough to draw attention within Republican circles.
The conference drew participation from major conservative organizations including Americans for Prosperity, the American Enterprise Institute, Reason Magazine, Stand Together, the Mercatus Center, and others. Many of these groups have received funding through Koch network-affiliated foundations, which have collectively distributed hundreds of millions of dollars to free-market causes over decades.
Last week also saw two legislative wins for economic populists in Congress: a railway safety amendment championed by Vice President Vance passed the House Transportation Committee 54-11 with significant Republican support after White House pressure, and a labor bill forcing faster contract negotiations for newly certified unions secured enough signatures on a discharge petition to force a floor vote — both measures opposed by traditional free-market groups.
The Bottom Line
The Freedom Conservatism conference reflects an ongoing ideological battle within the Republican Party that extends beyond Trump's tenure. While Trump remains president, his administration has provided space for both factions: populists who embrace government intervention and tariff-based industrial policy alongside traditional conservatives who favor limited government.
The outcome of this struggle will shape GOP priorities in any post-Trump scenario, whether through an eventual transition to new leadership or a shift in the current administration's approach. What remains clear is that conservative libertarians are organizing, recruiting young talent, and preparing arguments they believe will resonate as voters and donors grow weary of economic nationalism.
What to watch: Whether Freedom Conservatives can build viable coalitions with more mainstream Republicans ahead of the 2026 midterms, and whether Trump's approval trajectory among working-class voters prompts any recalibration in White House policy priorities.