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| Mike Pence Splits With Donald Trump on Paul Ryan Endorsement | Mike Pence Splits With Donald Trump on Paul Ryan Endorsement |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Gov. Mike Pence of Indiana openly split with Donald J. Trump, his running mate, on Wednesday by endorsing Speaker Paul D. Ryan’s re-election bid, doing so a day after Mr. Trump said he was not ready to make such an endorsement. | Gov. Mike Pence of Indiana openly split with Donald J. Trump, his running mate, on Wednesday by endorsing Speaker Paul D. Ryan’s re-election bid, doing so a day after Mr. Trump said he was not ready to make such an endorsement. |
| That the two members of the Republican presidential ticket were taking different positions on whether to endorse the House speaker, a fellow Republican, showed the searing divisions tearing apart the party. | That the two members of the Republican presidential ticket were taking different positions on whether to endorse the House speaker, a fellow Republican, showed the searing divisions tearing apart the party. |
| In an interview with The Washington Post on Tuesday, Mr. Trump said he liked Mr. Ryan and was considering endorsing him for re-election, but was not ready. “I’m just not quite there yet,” Mr. Trump said. “I’m not quite there yet.” | In an interview with The Washington Post on Tuesday, Mr. Trump said he liked Mr. Ryan and was considering endorsing him for re-election, but was not ready. “I’m just not quite there yet,” Mr. Trump said. “I’m not quite there yet.” |
| Mr. Trump’s choice of words was strikingly similar to the speaker’s language in May, when Mr. Ryan said he was “not ready” to endorse Mr. Trump for president. Some people close to Mr. Trump fault Mr. Ryan for withholding his endorsement for a few weeks before ultimately backing him. | Mr. Trump’s choice of words was strikingly similar to the speaker’s language in May, when Mr. Ryan said he was “not ready” to endorse Mr. Trump for president. Some people close to Mr. Trump fault Mr. Ryan for withholding his endorsement for a few weeks before ultimately backing him. |
| Mr. Pence issued his endorsement of Mr. Ryan during an afternoon interview with Fox News on Wednesday, hours after he told Mr. Trump of his longtime ties to the speaker, and Mr. Trump expressed support for the move. | Mr. Pence issued his endorsement of Mr. Ryan during an afternoon interview with Fox News on Wednesday, hours after he told Mr. Trump of his longtime ties to the speaker, and Mr. Trump expressed support for the move. |
| “I talked to Donald Trump this morning about my support for Paul Ryan, our longtime friendship,” Mr. Pence said. “He strongly encouraged me to endorse Paul Ryan in next Tuesday’s primary. And I’m pleased to do it. But look, this is all part of a process of bringing a party together” after a competitive nominating fight, he added. | “I talked to Donald Trump this morning about my support for Paul Ryan, our longtime friendship,” Mr. Pence said. “He strongly encouraged me to endorse Paul Ryan in next Tuesday’s primary. And I’m pleased to do it. But look, this is all part of a process of bringing a party together” after a competitive nominating fight, he added. |
| Mr. Ryan is facing a primary challenge on Tuesday from a businessman, Paul Nehlen, who is running on a populist platform similar to that of Mr. Trump. Mr. Nehlen came to Mr. Trump’s defense this week after Mr. Ryan implicitly criticized the Republican nominee for ridiculing the parents of Humayun Khan, an Army captain who was killed in Iraq. That prompted Mr. Trump to send a Twitter message thanking Mr. Nehlen. And on Tuesday, Mr. Trump told The Washington Post that Mr. Nehlen was “running a very good campaign.” | |
| The flirtation with Mr. Ryan’s challenger has infuriated Wisconsin’s leading Republicans. Gov. Scott Walker and Senator Ron Johnson both indicated that they would not join Mr. Trump at a scheduled appearance in Green Bay this week. And Mr. Walker on Wednesday posted a picture of himself with Mr. Ryan on Twitter, writing: “We stand with Paul Ryan!” | |
| Reince Priebus, the chairman of the Republican National Committee and a Wisconsin native, is also said to be livid over Mr. Trump’s remarks about Mr. Ryan and is considering several options to show his public support for the Wisconsin congressman. | Reince Priebus, the chairman of the Republican National Committee and a Wisconsin native, is also said to be livid over Mr. Trump’s remarks about Mr. Ryan and is considering several options to show his public support for the Wisconsin congressman. |
| Mr. Priebus is debating the best way to demonstrate solidarity with Mr. Ryan, from a formal endorsement to an email publicly stating his support, said three people with knowledge of Mr. Priebus’s internal discussions. A public announcement could come as early as Wednesday. | Mr. Priebus is debating the best way to demonstrate solidarity with Mr. Ryan, from a formal endorsement to an email publicly stating his support, said three people with knowledge of Mr. Priebus’s internal discussions. A public announcement could come as early as Wednesday. |
| Mr. Priebus has not yet had a direct conversation with Mr. Trump, according to people close to him. But he has been in contact with some of Mr. Trump’s children | Mr. Priebus has not yet had a direct conversation with Mr. Trump, according to people close to him. But he has been in contact with some of Mr. Trump’s children |
| Since endorsing Mr. Trump, Mr. Ryan has continued to distance himself from the Republican nominee on several matters, from Mr. Trump’s proposed ban on Muslims entering the country to his comments criticizing Khizr and Ghazala Khan, Humayun Khan’s parents. | |
| Mr. Priebus is close with Mr. Ryan; he has been the chairman of some of the congressman’s campaigns, and the two have known each other since they were college Republicans. | |
| Mr. Priebus has made a point of staying neutral in all aspects of Republican primaries, including when people have asked him to speak out against Mr. Trump. Deciding to back Mr. Ryan in his primary would be a step away from that. | Mr. Priebus has made a point of staying neutral in all aspects of Republican primaries, including when people have asked him to speak out against Mr. Trump. Deciding to back Mr. Ryan in his primary would be a step away from that. |
| For Mr. Priebus, Mr. Trump’s comments slighting Mr. Ryan were just the latest indignity in a week full of them. Earlier, Mr. Trump had criticized the Khan family, and implied that Ms. Khan — who chose not to speak at the Democratic National Convention because she was worried she would be overcome with grief — had not spoken because of her religion. | For Mr. Priebus, Mr. Trump’s comments slighting Mr. Ryan were just the latest indignity in a week full of them. Earlier, Mr. Trump had criticized the Khan family, and implied that Ms. Khan — who chose not to speak at the Democratic National Convention because she was worried she would be overcome with grief — had not spoken because of her religion. |
| Mr. Priebus repeatedly broke with Mr. Trump’s stance toward the Khans this week, and has also communicated his frustrations both with Mr. Trump himself and the Trump campaign, said someone with knowledge of his conversations. | Mr. Priebus repeatedly broke with Mr. Trump’s stance toward the Khans this week, and has also communicated his frustrations both with Mr. Trump himself and the Trump campaign, said someone with knowledge of his conversations. |
| Mr. Trump’s missteps in the weeks since the Republican convention have spurred a degree of open criticism among otherwise supportive party officials rarely seen since he secured enough delegates for the nomination in May. | Mr. Trump’s missteps in the weeks since the Republican convention have spurred a degree of open criticism among otherwise supportive party officials rarely seen since he secured enough delegates for the nomination in May. |
| “If he makes himself the issue, we’re going to lose,” Henry Barbour, a Republican National Committee member from Mississippi and a top lieutenant to Mr. Priebus, said of the party’s standard-bearer. “There’s only one guy who can fix this, and that’s Donald Trump. I hope he’s willing.” | “If he makes himself the issue, we’re going to lose,” Henry Barbour, a Republican National Committee member from Mississippi and a top lieutenant to Mr. Priebus, said of the party’s standard-bearer. “There’s only one guy who can fix this, and that’s Donald Trump. I hope he’s willing.” |
| Some in Mr. Pence’s orbit had initially worried that Mr. Trump’s comments would place his running mate, who is close with Mr. Ryan, in an uncomfortable situation. | Some in Mr. Pence’s orbit had initially worried that Mr. Trump’s comments would place his running mate, who is close with Mr. Ryan, in an uncomfortable situation. |
| But in a phone conversation between Mr. Pence and Mr. Trump Wednesday morning, according to someone with knowledge of the call, Mr. Trump brought up his Washington Post interview. Mr. Pence said he understood where Mr. Trump was coming from, but personally was inclined to support Mr. Ryan. Mr. Trump, without hesitation, agreed. | But in a phone conversation between Mr. Pence and Mr. Trump Wednesday morning, according to someone with knowledge of the call, Mr. Trump brought up his Washington Post interview. Mr. Pence said he understood where Mr. Trump was coming from, but personally was inclined to support Mr. Ryan. Mr. Trump, without hesitation, agreed. |
| Mr. Pence and Mr. Ryan are close — they served together in Congress, and Mr. Pence asked Mr. Ryan to introduce him to the nation at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland last month — and Mr. Pence could serve as a logical conduit between Mr. Trump and Mr. Ryan. | Mr. Pence and Mr. Ryan are close — they served together in Congress, and Mr. Pence asked Mr. Ryan to introduce him to the nation at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland last month — and Mr. Pence could serve as a logical conduit between Mr. Trump and Mr. Ryan. |
| Party officials are hamstrung — there is no mechanism for removing Mr. Trump as the party’s candidate; he would have to step down himself. Nonetheless, party leaders are said to be furious at the controversies involving the Republican nominee. | Party officials are hamstrung — there is no mechanism for removing Mr. Trump as the party’s candidate; he would have to step down himself. Nonetheless, party leaders are said to be furious at the controversies involving the Republican nominee. |
| There are now active discussions among high-ranking Republican officials about how much longer the party can wait before recasting their focus away from Mr. Trump and toward down-ballot nominees. One veteran strategist close to Mr. Priebus indicated that, much as the party did when Bob Dole’s presidential campaign was flagging in 1996, officials may have to turn their attention to congressional and governors’ races as early as next month. | There are now active discussions among high-ranking Republican officials about how much longer the party can wait before recasting their focus away from Mr. Trump and toward down-ballot nominees. One veteran strategist close to Mr. Priebus indicated that, much as the party did when Bob Dole’s presidential campaign was flagging in 1996, officials may have to turn their attention to congressional and governors’ races as early as next month. |
| Some Republican strategists, however, have little sympathy for the party committee, noting that it smoothed the way for Mr. Trump’s nomination in Cleveland by aggressively putting down efforts to let delegates vote their conscience. | Some Republican strategists, however, have little sympathy for the party committee, noting that it smoothed the way for Mr. Trump’s nomination in Cleveland by aggressively putting down efforts to let delegates vote their conscience. |
| And, many in the party note, Mr. Priebus can hardly act surprised now about Mr. Trump’s erratic behavior, given his string of inflammatory comments since entering the race. | And, many in the party note, Mr. Priebus can hardly act surprised now about Mr. Trump’s erratic behavior, given his string of inflammatory comments since entering the race. |
| “You would have to have had your eyes wide shut for the last year to think he would act differently in the general than he did in the primary,” said Josh Holmes, a top adviser to Senator Mitch McConnell, the majority leader. | “You would have to have had your eyes wide shut for the last year to think he would act differently in the general than he did in the primary,” said Josh Holmes, a top adviser to Senator Mitch McConnell, the majority leader. |