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Paul Ryan Calls Donald Trump’s Attack on Judge ‘Racist,’ but Backs Him Still Paul Ryan Calls Donald Trump’s Attack on Judge ‘Racist,’ but Backs Him Still
(about 1 hour later)
WASHINGTON — Speaker Paul D. Ryan on Tuesday called Donald J. Trump’s criticism of a Hispanic-American judge “the textbook definition of a racist comment” and said he “regrets” the remark. But Mr. Ryan also reiterated his support for Mr. Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, against Hillary Clinton.WASHINGTON — Speaker Paul D. Ryan on Tuesday called Donald J. Trump’s criticism of a Hispanic-American judge “the textbook definition of a racist comment” and said he “regrets” the remark. But Mr. Ryan also reiterated his support for Mr. Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, against Hillary Clinton.
“I disavow these comments — I regret those comments that he made,” Mr. Ryan said after announcing a new Republican anti-poverty initiative in Anacostia, an overwhelmingly black neighborhood in Washington.“I disavow these comments — I regret those comments that he made,” Mr. Ryan said after announcing a new Republican anti-poverty initiative in Anacostia, an overwhelmingly black neighborhood in Washington.
“Claiming a person can’t do their job because of their race is sort of like the textbook definition of a racist comment,” Mr. Ryan continued. “I think that should be absolutely disavowed. It’s absolutely unacceptable. But do I believe that Hillary Clinton is the answer? No, I do not.”“Claiming a person can’t do their job because of their race is sort of like the textbook definition of a racist comment,” Mr. Ryan continued. “I think that should be absolutely disavowed. It’s absolutely unacceptable. But do I believe that Hillary Clinton is the answer? No, I do not.”
He added, “I believe that we have more common ground on the policy issues of the day and we have more likelihood of getting our policies enacted with him than with her.” He said, “I believe that we have more common ground on the policy issues of the day and we have more likelihood of getting our policies enacted with him than with her.”
Mr. Trump made the comments about Judge Gonzalo P. Curiel of Federal District Court, who is overseeing a suit against the now-shuttered Trump University.Mr. Trump made the comments about Judge Gonzalo P. Curiel of Federal District Court, who is overseeing a suit against the now-shuttered Trump University.
Pressed on Mr. Trump’s doubling down on his position s that he is skeptical of the objectivity of nonwhite judges, Mr. Ryan said, “If you say something that is wrong, the mature and responsible thing is to acknowledge that it’s wrong.” Pressed on Mr. Trump’s doubling down on his position that he is skeptical of the objectivity of nonwhite judges, Mr. Ryan said, “If you say something that is wrong, the mature and responsible thing is to acknowledge that it’s wrong.”
Mr. Ryan’s continued support of Mr. Trump, even as he accuses him of making a racist comment, underscores the tricky political predicament national Republicans are facing as their party’s nominee repeatedly insults and offends broad swaths of the American public.
Mr. Ryan on Tuesday struggled but mostly failed to distinguish between Mr. Trump’s remarks and the man himself, saying, “I don’t know what’s in his heart.”
He said: “I do absolutely disavow those comments. I think they are wrong. I don’t think they are right-headed. And the thinking behind it is something I don’t personally relate to. But at the end of the day this is about ideas. This is about moving our agenda forward.”
He added, “I believe that we are far better off advancing these policies, getting them into law, with his candidacy than we clearly are with Hillary Clinton.”
Asked how he could support Mr. Trump after calling the remarks racist, Mr. Ryan said: “I don’t know what’s in his heart but I think that comment itself is defined that way. So I’m not going to defend these kinds of comments because they are indefensible.”