NEWS BRIEF Paul Nehlen, a businessman in a long-shot bid to oust Paul Ryan, is reasserting his support for Donald Trump ahead of Wisconsin’s primary election next week.
On Tuesday, Donald Trump declined to endorse Nehlen’s opponent, House Speaker Paul Ryan, days after he engaged with Nehlen on Twitter for his “kind words.” The Republican presidential nominee said he was “not quite” ready to back Ryan, mimicking Ryan’s words this spring when he said he wasn’t yet ready to support Trump. In an interview with The Washington Post, Trump said, “I like Paul, but these are horrible times for our country. We need very strong leadership. We need very, very strong leadership. And I’m just not quite there yet. I’m not quite there yet.”
Nehlen, who endorsed Trump in May, released a statement Tuesday evening attacking Ryan for betraying the GOP nominee. “Paul Ryan has shown more passion in attacking Trump than he has ever shown in defending Americans,” he said. And on Wednesday, he continued his rebuke of the House speaker. “Donald Trump has courageously taken on the entrenched special interests who sought to suppress the working people of this country and who have sought to deny them a livable wage,” Nehlen said during a press conference. “By contrast, Paul Ryan has fought every step of the way to empower those forces working to disenfranchise voters and working to leave our citizens powerless and unable to provide for themselves and their families.”