Former House Speaker Paul Ryan, in a scathing rebuke of Donald Trump on Fox News Tuesday, reiterated his view that the former president is unfit for office, adding that he has cost Republicans in Congress “a lot of seats” over the years.
Ryan, a Fox Corporation board member, clashed with Trump in a war of words last month after he confirmed he would not support the 77-year-old’s 2024 re-election bid.
On Your World, anchor Neil Cavuto asked Ryan about the fiery response from Trump after the Wisconsin Republican announced his decision to not vote for him in November because “character is too important.” Ryan seemed unfazed.
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“I got death, taxes and weird stuff from Donald Trump—these are the three certainties in my life,” he said. “So to me, it’s just another day in a life.”
At various points throughout the interview, Ryan criticized Trump’s worldview, character, and actions as president.
“I’m a conservative Republican. Trump is a populist. He’s not a conservative. I would prefer a party that is based on principles not personality or populism. This populism is untethered to principles,” Ryan said.
“You swear an oath to the Constitution,” he said later, “and if you’re willing to suborn it to yourself, I think that makes you unfit for office.”
Ryan, who said he wouldn’t be supporting President Joe Biden, either, but rather a to-be-determined write-in candidate, also blamed Trump for dragging down the Republican ticket and doubted his ability to win in November, as he has several times in recent years.
“Trump has cost us a lot of seats,” Ryan said. “He cost us the Senate twice, he cost us the House…because he is pushing through the primaries people who cannot win general elections, but who pledge fealty to him. Ever since 2016, we’ve been losing.”
