Speaker Paul Ryan is not taking back his endorsement of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. Ryan is not conceding Democrat Hillary Clinton will be the next president, according to Ryan’s office.
Ryan is also telling congressional Republicans he won’t defend Donald Trump now or in the future and will spend the next month defending his party’s House majority.
The Wisconsin Republican reportedly made the statement during a conference call with GOP lawmakers. Many of them are worried that their party’s presidential candidate is hurting their chances of winning re-election and is threatening their majority control of the House.
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Ryan said he will spend “his entire energy making sure that Hillary Clinton does not get a blank check with a Democrat-controlled Congress.”
One person involved in the call said Ryan has not withdrawn his support for Trump, but has said he won’t defend him, either. Instead, he’ll campaign for GOP congressional candidates.
Another person with knowledge of the call said Ryan has told lawmakers that he won’t campaign with Trump and is advising GOP candidates “to do what’s best for you in your district.”
The comments come after Ryan uninvited Trump from a Wisconsin Republican gathering in Elkhorn over the weekend over an 11-year-old video recording showing Trump making lewd, sexually aggressive comments about women.
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