Before high-profile meeting, Paul Ryan seeks unity, Donald Trump shrugs
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On Thursday morning, Donald Trump is paying a visit to House Speaker Paul Ryan, the highest-ranking Republican, who pointedly declined to endorse Trump last week, saying he wasn't ready. In Washington on Wednesday, Ryan said that he and Trump have never really met and "just need to get to know each other," and that he hopes the two Republicans can "unify the various wings of the party around common prinicples." Trump told Fox News he doesn't need Ryan's endorsement. "If we make a deal, that will be great," Trump said. "And if we don't, we will trudge forward like I've been doing and winning all the time."
On Wednesday night, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich endorsed Trump; last week he said Ryan "made a big mistake" by not backing Trump, adding, "he has an obligation to unify the party." Gingrich isn't the only Republican putting pressure on Ryan to endorse his party's presumptive presidential nominee.
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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
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