WASHINGTON — (CNN) House Speaker Paul Ryan sharply condemned Donald Trump, his party’s front-runner presidential candidate, on Tuesday, following Trump’s call to ban all Muslims from entering the United States.
Ryan said at a press conference that Trump’s comments are “not who we are as a party” and violate the Constitution.
“This is not conservatism,” the Wisconsin representative said, adding, “Some of our best and biggest allies in this struggle and fight against radical Islam terror are Muslims.”
Asked if he’d back Trump if he was nominated by the party in 2016, Ryan responded, “I’m going to back whoever the Republican nominee is.”
Trump released a statement Monday, calling for “for a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until our country’s representatives can figure out what is going on.” He stood by the comments at an event in Charleston, South Carolina, on Monday night, as well as in an interview with CNN on Tuesday morning.
His remarks have been widely criticized by Muslim groups, Democrats and his fellow Republican presidential contenders.
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