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.
Subscribe to 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.
-
Today's political cartoons - February 1, 2025Cartoons Saturday's cartoons - broken eggs, contagious lies, and more
-
5 humorously unhealthy cartoons about RFK Jr.Cartoons Artists take on medical innovation, disease spreading, and more
-
Brodet (fish stew) recipeThe Week Recommends This hearty dish is best accompanied by a bowl of polenta
-
Trump says 25% tariffs on Canada, Mexico start Feb. 1Speed Read The tariffs imposed on America's neighbors could drive up US prices and invite retaliation
-
Trump blames diversity, Democrats for DC air tragedySpeed Read The president suggested that efforts to recruit more diverse air traffic controllers contributed to the deadly air crash
-
White House withdraws Trump's spending freezeSpeed Read President Donald Trump's budget office has rescinded a directive that froze trillions of dollars in federal aid and sowed bipartisan chaos
-
OpenAI announces ChatGPT Gov for government useSpeed Read The artificial intelligence research company has launched a new version of its chatbot tailored for the US government
-
Caroline Kennedy urges Senate to reject RFK Jr.Speed Read Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s cousin said he should not become President Donald Trump's health secretary, calling his medical views 'dangerous'
-
GOP senator reneged on voting against HegsethSpeed Read North Carolina senator Thom Tillis provided the deciding vote to confirm Pete Hegseth as defense secretary
-
Trump sparks chaos with spending, aid freezesSpeed Read A sudden freeze on federal grants and loans by President Donald Trump's administration has created widespread confusion
-
Trump feuds with Colombia on deportee flightsSpeed Read Colombia has backed off from a trade war with the U.S., reaching an agreement on accepting deported migrants following tariff threats from President Donald Trump
