House Speaker Paul Ryan issued a dramatic condemnation Tuesday of the latest proposal by Donald Trump, his party’s front-runner for president, following Trump’s call to ban all Muslims from entering the United States.
Ryan said at a press conference that Trump’s comments are “not who we are as a party” and violate the Constitution.
“This is not conservatism,” the Wisconsin representative said, adding, “Some of our best and biggest allies in this struggle and fight against radical Islam terror are Muslims.”
Asked if he’d back Trump if he was nominated by the party in 2016, Ryan responded, ?”I’m going to support whoever the Republican nominee is and I’m going to stand up for what I believe in as I do that.”
Ryan’s denunciation of the proposal by the party’s leading presidential candidate marked a highly unusual moment in the campaign. Sitting House speakers rarely engage in presidential politics and the reprimand is particularly noteworthy coming from Ryan, the party’s 2012 vice presidential nominee.
Trump released a statement Monday, calling for “for a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until our country’s representatives can figure out what is going on.” He stood by the comments at an event in Charleston, South Carolina, on Monday night, as well as in an interview with CNN on Tuesday morning.
His remarks have been widely criticized by Muslim groups, Democrats and his fellow Republican presidential contenders.
Ryan was not the first top congressional Republican leader to criticize Trump’s proposal. Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, the second-ranking Senate Republican, swiftly condemned Trump’s plan Monday night.
“I think it’s wrong to stereotype people, I disagree. I don’t think you should stereotype people,” Cornyn told CNN Monday. “People are individuals. I don’t think you should treat people in different categories as if they’re all the same.”
