During an interview with Fox News, Pence said he was “strongly” encouraged by Trump to endorse Ryan.
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Trump has spent the days since the Democratic convention litigating whether their son is a hero, and on Tuesday only moved onto an equally unhelpful news cycle: whether he supports House Speaker Paul Ryan, and the 2008 presidential nominee, John McCain, in their primaries.
Mr Trump said Mr Ryan had sought his endorsement, but that as of now he is only “giving it very serious consideration”. He said Trump “strongly encouraged me to endorse” Ryan. We need very, very strong leadership.
A question that remains, Warren said, is why top Republican lawmakers are holding fast to their endorsement of Trump. “I’m not quite there yet”. With Donald Trump seemingly supporting his opponent quite publicly, Paul Ryan showed Trump how you handle a situation like a proper politician. In early May, Ryan said, “I’m just not there yet”, before eventually backing Trump on June 2.
“I spoke to Donald Trump this morning about my support for Paul Ryan, our longtime friendship”, Pence said on Fox.
“These are two men that are building a good relationship”, Pence said.
Priebus is furious, said a source in the party after Trump’s decision Tuesday to withhold his endorsement of Ryan ahead of the House speaker’s August 9 primary. His challenger, Paul Nehlen, blasted Ryan in an interview. The NYT reported that Reince Priebus, the chairman of the Republican National Committee and a Wisconsin native, is also livid about Trump’s stunt and he’s now trying to find the best way to throw his support behind Ryan.
This week, Ryan, without referring to Trump by name, criticized the nominee’s attacks on the parents of an Army captain killed in Iraq.
And so far, McCain, Ryan and other Republicans who’ve reluctantly declared that they plan to back Trump for president appear to be sticking with him.
McCain has also criticized Trump in recent weeks for his statements that he might not back North Atlantic Treaty Organisation allies who haven’t been fulfilling their financial obligations to the alliance.
Tancredo said Ryan is a “poster boy for the Chamber of Commerce” who has never supported efforts to stem immigration, despite being painted as a “border hawk”. “Beat Crooked H!” – a reference to Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.
The real estate magnate’s decision not to back Ryan’s candidacy, or that of Arizona Senator John McCain, another GOP heavyweight who is running for re-election, was severely criticised on Tuesday by the Republican Party. “He’s a long-time friend”.
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Yet it was not clear that, even as Trump found another line to cross and another political norm to defy, any Republicans would rescind their support.
