Donald Trump tears into Paul Ryan in first cable news interview since Friday
When Donald Trump tweeted Tuesday that "the shackles have been taken off of me," what he was really referring to was his recent breakup with House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.). During an interview Tuesday night on The O'Reilly Factor, the GOP presidential nominee made it very clear that he thinks he's "better off" without Ryan's support. "The shackles are some of the establishment people that are weak and ineffective people within the Republican Party, senators, and others, and Paul Ryan, led to a certain extent by Paul Ryan, being nasty to the nominee," Trump said. This was Trump's first cable news interview since the Friday release of a now infamous tape in which Trump bragged about groping women, and since Ryan announced Monday he would no longer defend Trump.
Trump noted that while he's gained "millions and millions of supporters" and "set records in the primaries," Ryan has advocated for "open borders and amnesty" and "very, very bad budgets." "Frankly, the only one that Obama negotiates well with is Paul Ryan with the budgets because that's the only negotiation he can win," Trump said.
Even if Ryan were to change his mind, Trump said he isn't sure he wants his support at this point. "I wouldn't want to be in a foxhole with a lot of these people, that I can tell you, including Ryan," Trump said.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
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.
Watch Trump's takedown of Ryan below. Becca Stanek
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Critics’ choice: Watering holes for gourmandsFeature An endless selection of Mexican spirits, a Dublin-inspired bar, and an upscale Baltimore pub
-
Argentinian beef is at the center of American farmers’ woesThe Explainer ‘It feels like a slap in the face to rural America,’ said one farmer
-
‘Businesses that lose money and are uncompetitive won’t survive’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Senate votes to kill Trump’s Brazil tariffSpeed Read Five Senate Republicans joined the Democrats in rebuking Trump’s import tax
-
Border Patrol gets scrutiny in court, gains power in ICESpeed Read Half of the new ICE directors are reportedly from DHS’s more aggressive Customs and Border Protection branch
-
Shutdown stalemate nears key pain pointsSpeed Read A federal employee union called for the Democrats to to stand down four weeks into the government standoff
-
Trump vows new tariffs on Canada over Reagan adspeed read The ad that offended the president has Ronald Reagan explaining why import taxes hurt the economy
-
NY attorney general asks public for ICE raid footageSpeed Read Rep. Dan Goldman claims ICE wrongly detained four US citizens in the Canal Street raid and held them for a whole day without charges
-
Trump’s huge ballroom to replace razed East WingSpeed Read The White House’s east wing is being torn down amid ballroom construction
-
Trump expands boat strikes to Pacific, killing 5 moreSpeed Read The US military destroyed two more alleged drug smuggling boats in international waters
-
Trump demands millions from his administrationSpeed Read The president has requested $230 million in compensation from the Justice Department for previous federal investigations