Ryan and Trump may meet next week

A Republican National Committee spokesman said the party’s presumptive presidenital nominee Donald Trump and Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) may meet next week.

“What the [Chairman Reince Priebus] wants to do is bring them together. My understsanding is that’s going to happen,” RNC communications director Sean Spicer said on CNN’s “The Situation Room” Thursday. “My understanding is that they’re working on a date for next week.”

{mosads}“I’m glad that they are going to sit down and talk next week,” Spicer added. “This has been a very fast-paced primary. It was very intense. We have time on our side.

“I think it is good they’re going to sit down and talk and find out where they stand on the issues. One of the things both of them get is that without a unified party, we give a big hand up to Hillary Clinton.”

Spicer said Priebus had been talking to Ryan about his concerns about endorsing Trump, but he said the chairman did not know Ryan would appear on CNN Thursday to say he’s still not ready to fully support Trump.

“To be perfectly candid with you at this point I’m just not there right now,” he said of backing Trump on CNN’s “The Lead” earlier in the day.

Trump responded by saying he is not yet ready to support Ryan’s agenda, potentially putting him at odds with the nation’s highest elected Republican lawmaker.

“Perhaps in the future we can work together and come to an agreement about what is best for the American people,” he said in the statement.

Ryan’s office on Thursday said the Speaker would be “happy to attend” a meeting with Trump, according to chief communications adviser Brendan Buck.

Spicer on Thursday said that the GOP would ultimately rally against Clinton, the Democratic presidential front-runner.

“Hillary Clinton is an unacceptable choice to anyone who considers themselves a conservative at all,” he said. “We cannot have Hillary Clinton in the White House. This isn’t just about four years. The spending decisions and nominations she’ll make to the Supreme Court could last a generation.”

Spicer added that Republicans would only benefit Clinton if they seek an alternative to Trump.

“A third-party candidate is a step toward helping Hillary Clinton,” he said. “That’s it. There’s no other option.

“The last time a third-party candidate got an electoral vote was in 1968. It’s not going to happen. Give Trump some time to show how he wants to lead this party.”