Paul Ryan Tells House GOP He Will Not Campaign With or Defend Trump, but Still Endorses Him

‘You All Need to Do What’s Best for You in Your District’

Speaker Paul Ryan Monday morning told his fellow Republican House members going forward he will not campaign with Donald Trump or defend him, but he also refuses to revoke his endorsement of the GOP presidential nominee. 

Ryan, who will spend the next month campaigning in 42 cities across 17 states, also told House Republicans they should do whatever they need to do in order to keep their seats in November. Over the weekend rumors grew that House Republicans are afraid of losing their majority, after Friday’s release of the damning 2005 “Access Hollywood” video of Trump using lewd and vulgar language and describing actions of sexual assault.

“You all need to do what’s best for you in your district,” Speaker Ryan reportedly told members on a Monday morning conference call, Politico reports, characterizing it as “the biggest and most dramatic split between the highest-ranking Republican lawmaker on Capitol Hill and the GOP presidential nominee.”

The far right on Twitter expressed their anger quickly:

Reaction from others on Twitter was immediate and strong, mocking what some say is Ryan’s lack of courage: