New York Times - Today
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.
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. 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.