Speaker of the House Paul Ryan plans to vote for Donald Trump, he announced in an op-ed for his local Wisconsin paper.
After meeting with Trump where they discussed a conservative legislative agenda, Ryan said that Trump “would help us turn the ideas in this agenda into laws to help improve people’s lives. That’s why I’ll be voting for him this fall.”
Back in May, Ryan had declined to voice support for Trump, saying he needed more time.
His op-ed comes just as discussion among conservative commentators began centering around David French as a possible third-party challenger. According to a piece in the GazetteXtra, the newspaper that published Ryan’s op-ed:
A Ryan spokesman was asked whether Ryan's column amounts to an endorsement. The aide's response was unclear: “He said he'll vote for Trump in the piece. That speaks for itself, in our view.”
In the op-ed, Ryan also cited conversations with Trump about “the proper role of the executive,” as well as “fundamental principles such as the protection of life.”
Some of Trump’s publicly-stated principles on issues concerning the protection of life are as follows:
- An indefinite “total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States,” even those facing life-threatening situations in their home countries
- “Some form of punishment” for women who get abortions, a position he later recanted after facing bipartisan criticism
- In an interview with Chris Matthews, Trump refused to take nuclear strikes off the table, even against Europe.
Read Ryan's op-ed here.
Got something to say about what you're reading? We value your feedback!