House Speaker Paul Ryan spoke highly of former FBI Director James Comey Wednesday, disagreeing with President Trump’s claim that Comey is a “nut job.”
“Yeah, I don’t agree with that, and he’s not,” Ryan said told Axios’ Mike Allen on Wednesday morning when asked if he was concerned with Trump’s characterization of him, which Trump reportedly made to the Russian foreign minister and ambassador.
The Wisconsin Republican argued Comey “served his country ably” during his tenure despite the various tough situations in which he was ensnarled.
“I like Jim Comey. I know that there are people on both sides of the aisle concerned with decisions he made,” Ryan said. “I think he was put into an impossible position. I think when [then-Attorney General Loretta] Lynch went on that plane … I think that put him in an impossible position.”
“I remember getting that letter from him,” Ryan said, referring to Comey’s letter announcing that he was looking into Clinton’s emails again a week before election day. “That one really kind of took me by surprise, and I remember telling myself, ‘what an impossible, no-win position or decision he had to make.'”
“So I think the guy was forced into nearly impossible decisions,” he continued. “Understandably, he was going to get criticized for making those decisions, but I think he served his country ably.”
Ryan was asked what concerns him about the president and declined to answer, but praised Trump’s ability to engage with lawmakers to get a goal done. He cited the push to pass the American Health Care Act as a prime example.
