GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) – Donald Trump endorsed House Speaker Paul Ryan late Friday, ending a four-day standoff between the GOP’s most powerful men that exposed deepening concerns about the NY billionaire’s presidential candidacy.
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The GOP nominee was trying to mend a days-long rift within the party after a week plagued with controversies that threatened his campaign.
By Wednesday, however, Ryan did get the endorsement of Trump’s vice presidential running mate, Indiana Governor Mike Pence, who said he’d gotten the go-ahead to do so from Trump.
On Tuesday, Trump told the Post that Ayotte had given him “no support – zero support”, later adding “We need loyal people in this country. I’m not quite there yet”, Trump said at the time. “While we’ve been talking about jobs, Donald Trump has been going after a family of a war hero, or Donald Trump has been going after fellow Republicans and talking about why he won’t endorse them in their primaries”, he said. And very importantly toward real change.
He also endorsed McCain of Arizona and Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire, whom he called a “rising star”.
Ryan is facing a primary challenge on Tuesday against businessman Paul Nehlen.
In Wisconsin, Trump added, “She’s a monster”.
Trump also chose to endorse Arizona Senator John McCain, the party’s 2008 nominee, in his congressional re-election campaign, after refusing to do so earlier. Friday night, Nehlen, who said he had been invited to attend the Green Bay rally by the Trump campaign, was ejected from it.
“I feel confident he would help us turn the ideas in this agenda into laws to help improve people’s lives”.
Trump, whose candidacy has been marked by frequent attacks on Republican leadership, changed his tune from just days earlier.
Sen. Ron Johnson and House Speaker Paul Ryan citied scheduling conflicts, while Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker said he’ll attend an all-you-can-eat spaghetti dinner instead of appearing with his party’s standard bearer.
In a radio interview Friday morning, Ryan did not rule out withdrawing his endorsement of Trump.
Acknowledging the need to work with Congress to accomplish his agenda, Trump went on to endorse Sens. “But I will do this”, Ryan said.
Donald Trump speaking in Green Bay, Wisconsin, Friday.
“In the intelligence business, we would say that Mr. Putin had recruited Mr. Trump as an unwitting agent of the Russian Federation”, wrote Morell.
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But with Trump slipping in the polls against Clinton, and many Republicans aghast at their nominee’s behavior over the last week, the business mogul sought to close ranks.
