Paul Ryan has not told Donald Trump that he is ready to endorse his presidential candidacy, an aide to the House speaker told the Washington Examiner Wednesday morning, despite reports that Ryan’s endorsement is imminent.
Multiple news reports, citing sources inside the Trump campaign, are saying that Ryan could endorse Trump as early as this week. They said Ryan regrets the standoff created when he very publicly declined to support the nomination his party’s presidential nominee over differences in policy and tone.
Ryan has since met face to face with Trump in Washington to discuss policy and other matters. Both the Wisconsin congressman and the New York businessman described that meeting as cordial and productive, suggesting that an endorsement was forthcoming at some point. Their policy aides have been meeting to discuss policy details and possibly collaborating on an agenda.
But Ryan aides are making very clear that the speaker has not informed the presumptive GOP nominee that he is ready to endorse him, nor does he have any regrets about laying out conditions for his support.
“We’ve not told the Trump campaign to expect an endorsement. He’s also not told anyone he regrets anything,” a Ryan aide said.
This wouldn’t be the first time that the Ryan and Trump camps disagreed about communication between the two Republican leaders.
Ryan for months has expressed skepticism about Trump’s policies and provocative style of campaigning. Trump hasn’t done much to tone down his rhetoric.
Just this week, he raised old conspiracy theories about likely Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, including the idea she was involved in the death of White House aide Vince Foster. And, Trump traveled to New Mexico for a campaign rally, during which he charged that GOP Gov. Susanna Martinez, who is much respected inside her party but has refused to endorse him, has running her state’s economy into the ground.
Meanwhile, House Republican sources say there is still healthy skepticism about Trump’s prospects for winning the presidency on Capitol Hill, despite his having closed the gap with Clinton in the polls.
