Republicans and the president should stop attacking each other and focus on passing tax reform and other parts of the Republican agenda, a frustrated House Speaker Paul Ryan warned Thursday.
Ryan, R-Wis., appeared to indirectly criticize Sen. Jeff Flake’s heavy criticism of President Trump during a floor speech Tuesday, as well as Sen. Bob Corker’s television interviews that also slammed the president.
“I don’t think the American people want to see us up here yelling at each other,” Ryan told reporters Thursday. “The American people want to see results. The more unified we are in pursuing solving people’s problems, that is what they expect.”
Flake, R-Ariz., and Corker, R-Tenn., have both decided against running for re-election and have been the harshest Republican critics of Trump. Trump has fired back with tweets and derogatory comments aimed at the two men, and the drama has remained a daily news story for the last week.
Ryan has tried to stay out of the fighting, but is often asked by reporters to comment on the discord. On Thursday, he was asked about the matter after Republicans passed a critical budget resolution that will provide a viable path for a major tax overhaul, which has been one of Ryan’s top goals for many years.
“If we are calling each other names, or calling each other out or saying things against each other, what does that do to help a working mother get ahead,” Ryan said in response to a question about fighting between Flake, Corker and Trump. “What does that do to help a veteran get benefits he deserves? What does that do to advance tax reform?”
Ryan said lawmakers “need to stay focused on people’s problems.”
