Joshua Roberts/Reuters
President Donald Trump and House Speaker Paul Ryan
- President Donald Trump hit back at former House Speaker Paul Ryan in a series of tweets on Thursday night, slamming Ryan for "poor leadership and bad timing" during his time in Congress.
- Trump blasted Ryan for his "long running lame duck failure," and added he "couldn't get him out of Congress fast enough!"
- Trump's late-night rant follows comments reportedly made by Ryan to POLITICO reporter Tim Alberta in a new book set to be released next week.
- According to The Washington Post, which reviewed the book ahead of its release, Ryan told Alberta that he wanted to "scold" Trump "all the time" because Trump "didn't know anything about government."
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President Donald Trump hit back at former House Speaker Paul Ryan in a late-night Twitter thread, following reports of Ryan's comments in a scathing new book from POLITICO reporter Tim Alberta.
In a series of tweets on Thursday evening, Trump blasted the former Republican lawmaker from Wisconsin for "poor leadership and bad timing" during his House tenure.
"Paul Ryan, the failed V.P. candidate & former Speaker of the House, whose record of achievement was atrocious (except during my first two years as President), ultimately became a long running lame duck failure, leaving his Party in the lurch both as a fundraiser & leader," Trump wrote, referring to the 2012 presidential campaign where Ryan was number two on the ticket with now-Sen. Mitt Romney, who was then the GOP nominee for president.
"He had the Majority & blew it away with his poor leadership and bad timing," Trump added. "Couldn't get him out of Congress fast enough!"
Trump was responding to comments allegedly made by Ryan in Alberta's new book, titled "American Carnage," which were detailed in a Washington Post report ahead of the book's release.
According to the report, the book compiles stories and on-the-record quotes from prominent Republican officials who were critical of Trump before his election, some of whom later changed their tune. One such Republican was Ryan, who reportedly told Alberta that he wanted to "scold" Trump "all the time" because Trump "didn't know anything about government."
"I told myself I gotta have a relationship with this guy to help him get his mind right," Ryan told Alberta, according to The Post. "Because, I'm telling you, he didn't know anything about government ... I wanted to scold him all the time."
Ryan also told Alberta that he and other officials "helped him make much better decisions, which were contrary to kind of what his knee-jerk reaction was," The Post reported.
Paul Ryan, the failed V.P. candidate & former Speaker of the House, whose record of achievement was atrocious (except during my first two years as President), ultimately became a long running lame duck failure, leaving his Party in the lurch both as a fundraiser & leader......
- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 12, 2019....When Mitt chose Paul I told people that's the end of that Presidential run. He quit Congress because he didn't know how to Win. They gave me standing O's in the Great State of Wisconsin, & booed him off the stage. He promised me the Wall, & failed (happening anyway!)......
- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 12, 2019