Midterm elections 2018: FURIOUS Trump blames Paul Ryan for 'EVERYTHING'
PRESIDENT Trump is furious with Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan, who he blames for their party’s expected poor midterms performance in the House, according to two White House linked sources.
US midterms: Paul Ryan attends Bryan Steil election party
Trump and Mr Ryan, who is not seeking reelection, have clashed repeatedly over the President’s immigration focus.
Referring to the President, a White House source said: “He is really angry about Ryan”.
Asked what specifically about he replied “everything”.
According to CNN Mr Ryan reportedly phoned Trump on Sunday, urging him to reorientate his campaign from immigration to the economy, but was rebuffed.
The President has focused heavily on immigration during the election campaigns, describing a caravan of Central American migrants heading towards the US border as an “invasion” which contained “violent predators”.
In addition, he sent thousands of US troops to the southern border and has suggested the guarantee of citizenship to those born in the United States could be withdrawn.
A senior House Republican aide told Politico “Trump has hijacked the election” with his immigration focus.
He added: “This is not what we expected the final weeks of the election to focus on.”
Late last month, referring to the withdrawal of citizenship, Mr Ryan told a Kentucky radio station: “You cannot end birthright citizenship with an executive order.”
Trump’s proposal to end birthright citizenship could violate the 14th amendment of the US constitution.
However, the President has insisted the change can be made via “an executive order”.
In response, Trump tweeted: “Paul Ryan should be focusing on holding the Majority rather than giving his opinions on birthright citizenship, something he knows nothing about!
“Our new Republican majority will work on this, closing the immigration loopholes and securing our border.”
Mr Ryan is due to leave Congress at the end of his term in January.
During the 2016 Presidential election Mr Ryan said he could no longer defend Trump after the infamous ‘Access Hollywood’ tape which referenced groping women was defeated.
In response, Trump called Mr Ryan a “very weak and ineffective leader”.