House Speaker Paul D. Ryan said he and presumptive GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump found agreement on core conservative principles in a “pleasant” meeting Thursday, including pro-life values and the importance of limited government.
While saying they didn’t get to the heart of their policy differences in their 45-minute meeting, Mr. Ryan said they are on the same page on “the common core principles that unite all of us.”
“The question is, can we unify on common core principles that make our party. … I’m very encouraged that the answer to that question is yes,” Mr. Ryan said at his weekly press briefing.
He has withheld his backing from Mr. Trump, even as others in the party have unified around the presumptive nominee. Mr. Ryan said he expects to get there, but has demanded Mr. Trump prove his conservative beliefs.
In the meantime, he said they agreed on the need to keep Hillary Clinton, the likely Democratic nominee, from winning the White House, and the need to turn from the last eight years of the Obama administration.
“This is a process. We just began the process. I’m very encouraged at the first meeting of this process,” Mr. Ryan said.
SEE ALSO: Donald Trump, Paul Ryan ‘totally committed’ to party unity after meeting
• Stephen Dinan can be reached at sdinan@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.