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Ryan Stands by Trump’s Executive Order, Breaking Days of Silence Ryan Stands by Trump’s Executive Order, Offering Only Gentle Criticism
(35 minutes later)
WASHINGTON — Speaker Paul D. Ryan on Tuesday stood by President Trump’s executive order closing the nation’s borders to refugees and people from predominantly Muslim countries, ending days of public silence on the matter with only gentle criticism that “regrettably, the rollout was confusing.” WASHINGTON — Speaker Paul D. Ryan on Tuesday stood by President Trump’s executive order closing the nation’s borders to refugees and people from predominantly Muslim countries, offering only gentle criticism that “regrettably, the rollout was confusing,” as House Republicans broadly embraced the measure’s mission.
“We need to make sure that the vetting standards are up to snuff,” Mr. Ryan told reporters at the Capitol, saying he remained broadly supportive of the order and citing a “very good conversation” with John F. Kelly, the Homeland Security secretary. “We need to make sure that the vetting standards are up to snuff,” Mr. Ryan told reporters at the Capitol, saying he remained supportive of the order.
“Now, I think it’s regrettable that there was some confusion on the rollout of this,” Mr. Ryan added. “No one wanted to see people with green cards or special immigrant visas, like translators, get caught up in all of this.”“Now, I think it’s regrettable that there was some confusion on the rollout of this,” Mr. Ryan added. “No one wanted to see people with green cards or special immigrant visas, like translators, get caught up in all of this.”
The speaker’s cautious handling of this early flash point highlights the path he has chosen, at least so far, in the tumultuous age of Trump: For now, anyway, Mr. Ryan does not want to make enemies at the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue.The speaker’s cautious handling of this early flash point highlights the path he has chosen, at least so far, in the tumultuous age of Trump: For now, anyway, Mr. Ryan does not want to make enemies at the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue.
For some allies and longtime admirers of Mr. Ryan, the episode has been difficult to stomach. They had watched the speaker position himself last year as the party’s conscience, consistently breaking with the Republican nominee. Since the election, dissent has been muted and relations have improved. He is not alone. In interviews across the Capitol on Tuesday, Republicans in the House and Senate seemed inclined to give the Trump administration space, even as some stood by their criticism of the order itself.
Senator Richard Shelby of Alabama suggested that anyone surprised by Mr. Trump’s actions in government had not been paying attention.
“I think if you read what he ran on, you see what’s coming,” he said. Asked if he was concerned about how little the administration had coordinated with lawmakers, Mr. Shelby said, “I’m not, yet.”
At the same time, Democrats, seeking to delay the confirmation of Mr. Trump’s cabinet nominees, were bracing on Tuesday for an even more consequential fight over the president’s Supreme Court choice.
Some have strained to conceal the psychic toll of opposing the president.
“It’s hard to believe this is Day 12 of the Trump presidency,” said Senator Richard J. Durbin of Illinois, a member of the Democratic leadership.
The risks of countering Mr. Trump, and his Twittering fingers, were well known to Republicans, too, during the campaign. And no one seemed more willing to contend with them than Mr. Ryan.
But for some allies and longtime admirers of Mr. Ryan, the fallout from the refugee order has been difficult to stomach. They watched the speaker position himself last year as the party’s conscience, consistently breaking with the Republican nominee. Since the election, dissent has been muted and relations have improved.
“It’s got to be just exquisitely painful for him,” said Charlie Sykes, a longtime conservative Wisconsin radio host and friend of Mr. Ryan’s. “It’s this ongoing calculation that you need to be allied in order to get your agenda put through. And yet the price tag keeps going up all the time.”“It’s got to be just exquisitely painful for him,” said Charlie Sykes, a longtime conservative Wisconsin radio host and friend of Mr. Ryan’s. “It’s this ongoing calculation that you need to be allied in order to get your agenda put through. And yet the price tag keeps going up all the time.”
Despite the concerns raised by some prominent Republican voices, like Senator John McCain of Arizona and Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Mr. Ryan’s position appears to closely resemble that of most Republicans in the House, where Mr. Trump’s order seems to enjoy considerable support. Despite the concerns raised by some prominent Republicans, like Senator John McCain of Arizona and Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Mr. Ryan’s position appears to closely resemble that of most Republicans in the House, where Mr. Trump’s immigration order seems to enjoy considerable support.
Several House Republicans, meeting before Mr. Ryan’s remarks, defended the order and the president’s behavior in recent days, shrugging off any turmoil that has resulted. Several House Republicans, meeting before Mr. Ryan’s remarks, defended the order and the president’s behavior in recent days, playing down any turmoil that had resulted.
“I don’t sense any split in the Republican ranks,” said Representative Mark Meadows of North Carolina, the chairman of the hard-right House Freedom Caucus. “I don’t sense any split in the Republicans ranks,” said Representative Mark Meadows of North Carolina, the chairman of the hard-right House Freedom Caucus.
The chaos that Mr. Trump has wrought in Washington “was not a focus” of the meeting, Mr. Meadows said. “Any comments would have been minor in scope.”The chaos that Mr. Trump has wrought in Washington “was not a focus” of the meeting, Mr. Meadows said. “Any comments would have been minor in scope.”
Mr. Trump’s firing of Sally Q. Yates as acting attorney general on Monday after she refused to defend his executive order drew only praise. Mr. Trump’s firing of Sally Q. Yates as acting attorney general after she refused to defend his executive order drew praise. “She was a political hack,” said Representative Louie Gohmert, Republican of Texas. “I thought it was terrific.”
“She was a political hack,” said Representative Louie Gohmert, Republican of Texas. “I thought it was terrific.” Representative Raúl Labrador, Republican of Idaho, said all administrations had “a little bit of chaos” in their first weeks.
Before Tuesday, amid the explosive fallout from the president’s order — global confusion, raging protests in numerous cities and often blistering bipartisan criticism of the administration’s efforts — Mr. Ryan had effectively removed himself from the fray. “I think they’re learning their lesson,” he said. “I think they’re going to realize that it behooves both parties to actually have a little bit more communication.”
The speaker, perhaps Mr. Trump’s most prominent Republican detractor at times during the 2016 campaign, initially weighed in on the order shortly after Mr. Trump signed it last Friday. “President Trump is right to make sure we are doing everything possible to know exactly who is entering our country,” Mr. Ryan said then. The speaker initially weighed in on the order shortly after Mr. Trump signed it on Friday. “President Trump is right to make sure we are doing everything possible to know exactly who is entering our country,” Mr. Ryan said then.
But as several Republican lawmakers voiced concerns about the chaotic execution of the order — and, in rarer cases, the thrust of the order itself — Mr. Ryan held his tongue. His office issued a statement over the weekend saying the order was “not a religious test and it is not a ban on people of any religion,” rejecting any inconsistency in this position and Mr. Ryan’s criticism of Mr. Trump’s proposed ban on Muslim immigration during the campaign. But as several Republican lawmakers lodged complaints about the execution of the order — and, in rarer cases, the thrust of the order itself — Mr. Ryan largely removed himself from the fray. His office issued a statement over the weekend saying the order was “not a religious test and it is not a ban on people of any religion,” rejecting that there was any inconsistency between this position and Mr. Ryan’s criticism of Mr. Trump’s proposed ban on Muslim immigration during the campaign.
At times on Tuesday, Mr. Ryan lurched toward testiness. “We’re not here to debate, we’re here to answer your questions,” he told a reporter who interrupted one of his answers on the order.At times on Tuesday, Mr. Ryan lurched toward testiness. “We’re not here to debate, we’re here to answer your questions,” he told a reporter who interrupted one of his answers on the order.
Those close to Mr. Ryan say his chief goals are shepherding legislative priorities like tax overhaul and repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act. He has grown accustomed to the broadsides, they say, particularly from left-leaning sources. He stressed that he supported the nation’s refugee resettlement program.
“We’re a generous country,” he said, citing a “very good conversation” with John F. Kelly, the Homeland Security secretary. “But we can be generous and watch our national security at the same time.”
Those close to Mr. Ryan say his chief goals are shepherding legislative priorities like tax overhaul and repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act. He has grown accustomed to any broadsides that result from siding with Mr. Trump, they say, particularly from left-leaning sources.
(These have not been in short supply lately: Gavin Newsom, the former Democratic mayor of San Francisco, wished Mr. Ryan a happy birthday on Twitter using a picture of the Cowardly Lion from “The Wizard of Oz.” And a Wikipedia user added Mr. Ryan’s head shot to a list of invertebrates, beside horseshoe crabs and jellyfish.)(These have not been in short supply lately: Gavin Newsom, the former Democratic mayor of San Francisco, wished Mr. Ryan a happy birthday on Twitter using a picture of the Cowardly Lion from “The Wizard of Oz.” And a Wikipedia user added Mr. Ryan’s head shot to a list of invertebrates, beside horseshoe crabs and jellyfish.)
Members of what has often been an unruly Republican conference — particularly under Mr. Ryan’s predecessor as speaker, John A. Boehner — have also cheered Mr. Ryan’s position. Members of what has often been an unruly Republican conference — particularly under Mr. Ryan’s predecessor as speaker, John A. Boehner — have also cheered Mr. Ryan’s approach.
“He knows that when you’re talking about pieces of legislation that have to be signed by the president, it’s helpful to have a good working relationship,” said Representative Lee Zeldin, Republican of New York.“He knows that when you’re talking about pieces of legislation that have to be signed by the president, it’s helpful to have a good working relationship,” said Representative Lee Zeldin, Republican of New York.
Mr. Ryan’s office says he and the president speak daily, or close to it. He is known to call the president Donald.Mr. Ryan’s office says he and the president speak daily, or close to it. He is known to call the president Donald.
Such access, it seems, does not always guarantee advance warning on policy. Mr. Ryan learned of the order, he said on Tuesday, “pretty much at the time it was being issued.” Yet such access, it seems, does not always guarantee advance warning on policy. Mr. Ryan learned of the order, he said on Tuesday, “pretty much at the time it was being issued.”