Sen. Jeff Sessions said Thursday night that House Speaker Paul Ryan made an error by saying he’s not ready to support Donald Trump yet, and said Ryan and other leaders need to realize the Republican Party is shifting under their feet.
“I think this was a big mistake, I really do,” the Alabama Republican said on Fox News. “And I’m very surprised, frankly, since he’d indicated he’d support whoever the nominee was.”
“The speaker of the House is a big leader, an important figure in the Republican Party,” he added. “He calls on House members every day to stand with him and unity, and he needs to set a good example for Republicans.”
Ryan shocked political observers by saying he wasn’t ready to endorse Trump, and Trump followed by saying he is “not ready to support Speaker Ryan’s agenda.” Despite the bluster, reports soon followed that the two are trying to arrange a meeting.
But Sessions said establishment Republicans are making a mistake by not trying to understand the forces that propelled Trump to a victory over 16 of his Republican competitors.
“It’s incumbent for the Republican leaders and officials to understand why Trump has support,” Sessions said. “And they need to understand that we need to make some changes, Republican voters have demanded a lawful system of immigration, what’s wrong with that?”
“They’ve said, we don’t believe these trade deals are working for us, and I believe evidence will prove that and already shows that,” he added. “Why don’t we respond positively to those kind of requests?”
“Trump has, and he’s taken the nomination,” Sessions concluded.
