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Speaker Paul Ryan Declines To Weigh In On Woodward Book On Trump

Washington Post Journalist's New Book Examines White House

By
Paul Ryan
Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, R-Wis., emerges from the chamber just after key conservatives in the House Freedom Caucus helped to kill passage of the farm bill which had been a priority for GOP leaders, at the Capitol in Washington on May 18, 2018. The bill was later passed by the House just over a month later, on June 21. AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite

U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan is declining to comment on disparaging comments about President Donald Trump in Bob Woodward’s new book, saying he’s not seen it.

The book contains quotes attributed to top White House aides that ridicule Trump’s intellect.

Asked by reporters about those remarks on Wednesday, Ryan said he has nothing to say and referred questions to the White House.

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The Wisconsin Republican drew laughs when he said he’s not spoken to Woodward for a few years. The criticisms of Trump that the longtime Washington Post journalist quotes in his book are based on interviews with sources that he doesn’t identify.

Ryan also said “no” when asked if he favors changing the nation’s libel laws. Trump said Woodward’s descriptions are false and tweeted Wednesday that lawmakers should “change libel laws.”

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