House Speaker Paul Ryan may have worn his poker face during President Obama’s State of the Union speech Tuesday night, but he did not hold back from sharing his true feelings about the speech in an interview Wednesday.
Although the newly appointed House leader said he agrees with the president that a religious test for refugees would be bad policy, he condemned Obama’s decision to use the annual gathering to slam GOP voters during primary season.
“Putting a religious test on anybody coming to this country is wrong. We ought to have a security test, not a religious test,” Ryan told USA Today. “But I think it sort of degrades the presidency to then talk about primary politics in the other party, during primaries. That’s not what presidents ought to be talking about in State of the Union addresses. Speaking up for our values and speaking up for our beliefs is one thing. But kind of wading into the primary politics of the other party is just not really what presidents ought to do.”
Ryan said Obama’s positive portrayal of America’s standing in the world and criticism of the top-ranked GOP candidate Donald Trump, according to the Washington Examiner’s presidential power rankings, are some of the reasons Republican voters have continued to stand behind Trump.
Although Ryan disagreed with Trump about issuing a religious test to non-Americans trying to enter the U.S., he defended South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley’s post-address remarks, including her call for voters to resist “the siren call of the angriest voices,” a poke at the self-funded billionaire.
Despite any disagreements with Trump’s policy views or disapproval of his style, Ryan said he would “of course” support Trump if he wins the party’s nomination.
“I respect the primary process. I respect the Republican primary voter,” he said.
