US HOUSE SPEAKER Paul Ryan today described Donald Trump’s criticism of a Mexican-American judge as “racist,” but reiterated his support for the presumptive Republican presidential nominee.
Trump claims that federal Judge Gonzalo Curiel, who is handling a lawsuit against the now-defunct Trump University, is biased against him because of his Mexican heritage.
Trump has come under criticism by fellow Republicans for his remarks against Curiel, who was born in the United States of Mexican parents.
“Claiming a person cannot do the job because of their race is sort of like the textbook definition of a racist comment,” Ryan told reporters.
“I think that should be absolutely disavowed. It’s absolutely unacceptable.”
Ryan however quickly pivoted to attack the likely Democratic presidential candidate and offer support for Trump.
“But do I believe that Hillary Clinton is the answer? No, I do not. Do I believe that Hillary Clinton is going to be the answer to solving these problems? I do not,” Ryan said.
I believe that we have more common ground on the policy issues of the day, and we have more likelihood of getting our policies enacted with [Trump] than we do with her.
Trump, who says he wants to build a wall on the border with Mexico, asserted in an interview published Thursday that Curiel has “an absolute conflict” of interest because of his “Mexican heritage” and because he is a member of a Mexican-American lawyers association.
Ryan, the most senior elected Republican official in the country, announced his support for Trump only last week.
Meryl Streep
Meanwhile, Meryl Streep has made use of a spray tan, a fake belly and an oversized red tie to get in character for her latest role, Donald Trump.
The New York Times reports that the three-time Oscar winner took the stage last night in New York as the presumptive Republican presidential nominee during a gala benefit for the Public Theater.
A Times reporter has posted video of the performance on Twitter showing Streep impersonating Trump while performing a duet alongside actress Christine Baranski’s pantsuit-clad Democrat Hillary Clinton.
The pair sang “Brush Up Your Shakespeare” from Cole Porter’s musical “Kiss Me, Kate.”
Public Theater artistic director Oskar Eustis told the newspaper that the performance was Streep’s idea and “she was absolutely sure she could do it.”
Streep is a supporter of Clinton.
- With reporting from Associated Press
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