Paul Ryan is still hoping Donald Trump will change

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published 15 July 2016

Even with Donald Trump flatly admitting his general election "pivot" probably isn't going to happen, House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) is still holding out hope. When asked whether he still believed his party's presumptive presidential nominee might change his tone, Ryan said in a Friday interview with NPR: "I believe he's going to endeavor to try."

While Ryan knows Trump is aware of his feelings on the matter, what the speaker doesn't seem to understand is that Trump has a different set of priorities in mind. Trump insisted Wednesday that he'd "lose" supporters if he became more presidential, and he also said that being himself has gotten him this far, so he doesn't plan to change anytime soon.

While Ryan doesn't seem to condone Trump taking his own advice, he did hint that he'd like Trump's running mate to heed the mogul's words. "I would basically say: Be yourself," Ryan said, speaking to Trump's hypothetical running mate (who, it has since been announced, is Indiana Gov. Mike Pence). "Don't lose who you are, don't lose your personality." Ryan ran as the GOP's vice presidential nominee alongside Mitt Romney in 2012.