Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump endorsed three top GOP officeholders – House Speaker Paul Ryan, Arizona Sen.
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Trump endorsed Ryan for re-election at a Green Bay, Wisconsin, rally on Friday. “We’ll get it done and we’ll do a lot of wonderful things”. The phrase echoed Ryan’s own words in May, when he demurred on Trump, saying “I’m not there right now”, before eventually going on to support him.
“I like Paul, but these are disgusting times for our country”. Trump shocked Republican leaders yet again this week when he refused to declare support for Ryan, instead stating that “I’m just not there yet”. “I think he’s going to be just fine”.
Martha Laning, chairwoman of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, criticized Ryan and other Republicans for standing by their support of Trump.
“Unstable Hillary Clinton, lacks the judgment, temperament and moral character to lead this country – and I believe that so strongly”, Trump told supporters as he accused Clinton of supporting policies that he said could damage U.S. national security.
Trump told the Post that Ryan had sought his endorsement in his Wisconsin primary, but that he was still “giving it very serious consideration”.
Ryan said he “rejects” any religious test for entering the country – a clear jab at one of Trump’s evolving immigration proposals – and that “Captain Khan was one such courageous example” of Muslim-Americans who have “served valiantly in our military and made the ultimate sacrifice”.
Of course, Ryan deserves Trump’s support. “I’m not quite there yet”, Trump said at the time.
Although Trump essentially clinched the nomination in early May when rivals John Kasich and Ted Cruz dropped out of the running for the GOP’s presidential nomination, Ryan waited until June to offer his endorsement of Trump. He took insults against Clinton “to another level”, as Politico puts it, on Friday night when he called her “a monster” and “unstable” in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
In the Post interview, Trump said McCain had done a bad job for veterans and faulted Ayotte, one of the party’s most vulnerable incumbents, for giving him “zero support”. Kelly Ayotte, two Republican leaders with whom he’s feuded. Ryan also opposes Trump’s policy proposal to ban Muslims from entering the U.S.
Mr Trump’s refusal to provide an endorsement seemed to indicate a sense of retaliation against Mr Ryan, who hesitated to back the NY businessman prior to his receiving the Republican nomination.
He added: “In another way she’s a weak person”. But he has also questioned the accuracy of some of the public statements she’s made about the issue.
“It’s time to change a rigged political system that works only for the insiders and to replace it with a government that serves the people”, Trump said. “I love babies”, he said. “We will work to ensure both chambers of Congress remain in Republican hands, continuing to protect against executive overreach regardless of who wins the election this November”.
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Ryan told WTMJ’s Charlie Sykes, a Wisconsin talk radio host, on Friday morning that he hadn’t spoken with Trump since the Republican convention ended last month.
