Breitbart leaks audio of Paul Ryan slamming Trump, makes case for a new speaker

Some conservatives might want to drive a wedge between Trump and Ryan.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

published 14 March 2017

President Trump is not going to like the sound of this. On Monday, Breitbart News published leaked audio of House Speaker Paul Ryan vowing in October to never defend Trump. "I am not going to defend Donald Trump — not now, not in the future," Ryan said on the tape, which was recorded shortly after Trump's lewd Access Hollywood comments were leaked.

"His comments are indefensible," Ryan added. "They're not in keeping with our principles, so I'm not going to try to defend them."

While Ryan's comments were first reported back in October, Good Morning America points out that the timing of the audio leak is not coincidental. "This is rehashing an old fight by potentially sowing some new divisions here," Good Morning America reported. "By releasing [the comments] now, conservatives who oppose the health-care bill may be trying to drive a wedge between the president and the speaker."

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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.

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