This is why Paul Ryan waited so long to dump Trump

House Speaker Paul Ryan.
(Image credit: Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

If Donald Trump's performance at the second presidential debate Sunday night had gone differently, House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) might not have announced Monday that he was done helping the Republican presidential candidate. Politico reported Tuesday that Ryan decided to "wait a little longer" than some Republican leaders were comfortable with to give Trump "a final opportunity to show genuine contrition and to demonstrate that he was serious about trying to appeal to independent voters crucial to the battle for the House, not just his die-hard fans."

Ryan stopped short of walking back his endorsement of Trump on Monday, but Politico reported that option isn't entirely off the table:

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
To continue reading this article...
Continue reading this article and get limited website access each month.
Get unlimited website access, exclusive newsletters plus much more.
Cancel or pause at any time.
Already a subscriber to The Week?
Not sure which email you used for your subscription? Contact us