Chuck Schumer wants Paul Ryan to 'break free' from the GOP before he leaves office
House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) confirmed Wednesday that he will not run for re-election this year, and Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) has some advice for the departing congressman.
"With his newfound political freedom, I hope the speaker uses his remaining time in Congress to break free from the hard-right factions of his caucus that have kept Congress from getting real things done," said Schumer in a statement. Schumer said that, while other top Republicans jockeying for Ryan's spot will make the end of his term complicated, he's confident Ryan is "up to the job."
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.
Schumer was frequently at odds with Ryan, often trading barbs over everything from the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals immigration program to the handling of Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) and his infamous memo regarding Russia's interference in the 2016 presidential election. Schumer and Ryan also blamed each other for the government shutdown in January.
Meanwhile, Ryan's Democratic counterpart in the House, Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), has yet to address the retirement news. Still, her last tweet happens to mention Ryan anyway: "[Speaker Ryan] and [the GOP] seem to have forgotten that Americans will not stand for their attacks on #Medicare & #SocialSecurity," she wrote.
-
6 of the world’s most accessible destinationsThe Week Recommends Experience all of Berlin, Singapore and Sydney
-
How the FCC’s ‘equal time’ rule worksIn the Spotlight The law is at the heart of the Colbert-CBS conflict
-
What is the endgame in the DHS shutdown?Today’s Big Question Democrats want to rein in ICE’s immigration crackdown
-
Witkoff and Kushner tackle Ukraine, Iran in GenevaSpeed Read Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner held negotiations aimed at securing a nuclear deal with Iran and an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine
-
Pentagon spokesperson forced out as DHS’s resignsSpeed Read Senior military adviser Col. David Butler was fired by Pete Hegseth and Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin is resigning
-
Judge orders Washington slavery exhibit restoredSpeed Read The Trump administration took down displays about slavery at the President’s House Site in Philadelphia
-
Hyatt chair joins growing list of Epstein files losersSpeed Read Thomas Pritzker stepped down as executive chair of the Hyatt Hotels Corporation over his ties with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell
-
Judge blocks Hegseth from punishing Kelly over videoSpeed Read Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth pushed for the senator to be demoted over a video in which he reminds military officials they should refuse illegal orders
-
Trump’s EPA kills legal basis for federal climate policySpeed Read The government’s authority to regulate several planet-warming pollutants has been repealed
-
House votes to end Trump’s Canada tariffsSpeed Read Six Republicans joined with Democrats to repeal the president’s tariffs
-
Bondi, Democrats clash over Epstein in hearingSpeed Read Attorney General Pam Bondi ignored survivors of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and demanded that Democrats apologize to Trump
