Former President Donald Trump criticized the Ronald Reagan Library for hosting the “RINO” former House Speaker Paul Ryan in two Friday statements.
Trump issued two statements saying that former President Ronald Reagan would “not be happy” that the Reagan library is run by the Washington Post’s Fred Ryan. A separate statement called Paul Ryan a “Republican In Name Only” (RINO) for criticizing Trump in a speech at the Reagan library’s “Time For Choosing Speaker” series Thursday evening.
“Ronald Reagan would not be happy to see that the Reagan Library is run by the head of the Washington Post, Fred Ryan. How the hell did that happen? No wonder they consistently have RINO speakers like Karl Rove and Paul Ryan,” the first statement said. “They do nothing for our forward-surging Republican Party!”
Trump said Ryan is a “curse” to the Republican Party and fights fellow GOP members rather than the Democrats in his second statement. (RELATED: REPORT: Paul Ryan Set To Criticize Trump During Speech At Ronald Reagan Library)
“Paul Ryan has been a curse to the Republican Party. He has no clue as to what need to be done for our Country, was a weak and ineffective leader, and spends all of his time fighting Republicans as opposed to Democrats who are destroying our Country,” Trump said.
NEW Trump statement on Paul Ryan and more: pic.twitter.com/wj6hi9ONsb
— Henry Rodgers (@henryrodgersdc) May 28, 2021
Trump said Ryan is the “single biggest factor” for losing the 2012 presidential election when he ran as Republican Utah Sen. Mitt Romney’s vice presidential candidate. The former president implored Ryan to tell fellow Republicans how to prevent election fraud.
“[Ryan] was the single biggest factor, other than Romney himself, for the monumental Romney/Ryan loss in the Presidential race of 2012, and he is now speaking to other Republicans telling them how to win elections,” the statement said. “Ryan should instead be telling them how to stop the cheating of elections and that we would have won if Republicans leadership fought the way Democrats did.”
“As a Republican, having Paul Ryan on your side almost guarantees a loss, for both you, the Party, and America itself!” the statement continued.
Ryan’s speech commemorated the Reagan presidency and criticized the Trump presidency’s “dishonorable and disgraceful end.”
“It was horrifying to see a presidency come to such a dishonorable and disgraceful end. We conservatives find ourselves at a crossroads. And here’s one reality that we have to face: If the conservative cause depends on the populist appeal of one personality, or on second-rate imitations, then we’re not going anywhere,” Ryan said in his speech.