After the leading GOP presidential candidate proposed a temporary ban on all Muslims entering the United States, the Speaker of the House urged Republican members to not follow “The Donald” down the road of extremism.
Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) briefed reporters Tuesday, minutes after he appealed to his fellow Republicans’ better angels amid the uproar caused by Donald Trump’s discriminatory proposal.
“I told our members this morning to always strive to live up to our highest ideals to uphold those principles in the constitution on which we swear every two years that we will defend,” Ryan said following the House GOP weekly conference meeting.
“Normally, I do not comment on what’s going on in the presidential election,” he also said in prefacing his remarks. “I will make an exception today.”
The leader went on to say that Trump’s idea doesn’t represent true “conservatism.”
“What was proposed yesterday is not what this party stands for, and more importantly, it’s not what this country stands for,” the Speaker added.
Trump’s call to “shutdown” the admittance of Muslims living abroad, including American citizens, has been resoundingly criticized by prominent figures in both parties.
The outcry has included virtually every GOP candidate. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) called it “offensive” and “outlandish.” Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush (R-Fla.) described it as “unhinged.”
On the Democratic side, former Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley dropped an f-bomb, referring to Trump as a “fascist demagogue.”
In the House, at least one Republican lawmaker, by publication, heeded Speaker Ryan’s advice. Rep. David Jolly (R-Fla.) took to the floor Tuesday morning to say the businessman and heir should drop out of the race.
“It is time that my side of the aisle has one less candidate in the race for the White House. It is time for Donald Trump to withdraw from the race,” Rep. Jolly said. “We must always insist on a security test. But we must never require a religious test.”
The congressman added that he enjoyed declaring “the saving grace of the Jesus Christ that I call my God” on the House floor, “but if Donald Trump has his way, we may not have the liberty to do that anymore.”
