Ryan: Trump's Judge Remark Is 'Textbook' Racism

Only Paul Ryan knows for sure if Paul Ryan regrets saying he'll endorse Donald Trump for president, but the House speaker is being somewhat more frank about his thoughts on other Trump matters—specifically, the presumptive GOP nominee's remarks on Gonzalo Curiel, the Indiana-born federal judge Trump's been attacking over his Mexican heritage. "Claiming a person can't do their job because of their race is sort of like the textbook definition of a racist comment," Ryan said at a DC press conference Tuesday, per Politico, though he added he still supports Trump over Hillary Clinton because "we have more likelihood of getting our policies enacted with him than we do with her." Trump supporter and CNN contributor Jeffrey Lord immediately lambasted Ryan for his take, saying he's "astonished" that Ryan is "playing the race card."

Ryan isn't the only GOPer to come out against Trump's Curiel statements, with many in the party imploring Trump to cease and desist, the AP reports. Potential VP pick Newt Gingrich calls the remarks "inexcusable," and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell laments, "I hope he'll change his direction." Meanwhile, Marco Rubio told reporters at the Senate Monday evening that "it's offensive—he should stop saying it," per CBS News, and Lindsey Graham is now advising fellow Republicans who've endorsed Trump to un-endorse him. "This is the most un-American thing from a politician since Joe McCarthy," Graham tells the New York Times. Second-to-last man standing Ted Cruz, however, is shrugging his shoulders these days at any Trumpisms. "You'll have to ask Donald why he says the things he does," he told CBS Monday. (A Texas congressman has some strong words for Trump.)