Paul Ryan on Thursday was asked about President Trump during his press briefing.
House Speaker Paul Ryan on Thursday acknowledged that President Trump's tweets "bother people," but suggested that they're not proving problematic in terms of successful governance. The response came after a reporter asked, "You now have Republican senators, folks inside the White House expressing concern on a nearly daily basis about the president's behavior, his morality, his understanding of basic policy. How long can you, as speaker, legitimately pretend that you're unconcerned?" "What I concern myself about are the results of government and the results of government are good results…people's lives are being improved," Ryan said, in part. "I know the president is very unconventional," he further noted. "I know his tweeting and unconventional tactics bother people, but the results of government are good results and what are we? We're in a different branch of government, and our branch of government is in charge of making sure that we pass good laws that improve people's lives, and guess what? We're passing good laws that improve people's lives." Ryan's response was notably missing commentary on what impact the president's tweets are having on the public's perception of news media and whether long-venerated publications and reporters can be trusted. Among his recent tweets that touch upon that matter are attacks on famed journalist Bob Woodward and his upcoming book, 'Fear: Trump in the White House.' "The Woodward book is a scam. I don't talk the way I am quoted," Trump tweeted on Friday morning. "If I did I would not have been elected President. These quotes were made up. The author uses every trick in the book to demean and belittle. I wish the people could see the real facts - and our country is doing GREAT!" Days prior, he wrote, "Isn't it a shame that someone can write an article or book, totally make up stories and form a picture of a person that is literally the exact opposite of the fact, and get away with it without retribution or cost." "Don't know why Washington politicians don't change libel laws?" the president also said.
