Priebus: Ryan ‘did the right thing’ backing Trump

Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman Reince Priebus on Friday praised Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) for endorsing Donald Trump for president after weeks of hesitation.

“I think what Paul Ryan did was take his time and deliberate and vet and have conversations so that when he did come out and endorse, he did it in a way that was, to him, honest and real [and] not just something you do in reaction to an event, and that’s what Paul did,” Priebus said, according to The Washington Examiner.

{mosads}“I think he did the right thing,” he added.

Priebus said Ryan’s blessing will help Republicans rally around Trump, the GOP’s presumptive presidential nominee.

“I think it’s just the continuation of the unification process of our party. I don’t think it’s a big mountain anymore, especially with Paul Ryan on board.”

Ryan on Thursday said he would vote for Trump after nearly a month of deliberating.

I’ll be voting for @realDonaldTrump this fall. I’m confident he will help turn the House GOP’s agenda into laws. https://t.co/LyaT16khJw

— Paul Ryan (@PRyan) June 2, 2016

A Ryan aide later clarified that Ryan’s tweet was an endorsement.

We’re not playing word games, feel free to call it an endorsement.

— Brendan Buck (@BrendanBuck) June 2, 2016

Trump quickly hailed Ryan’s decision as “so great,” adding the pair would “work very hard” for the greater good of voters.

In Ryan’s endorsement, he vowed he would defend conservative principles if Trump did not uphold them going forward.

“It’s no secret he and I have differences,” he wrote. “I won’t pretend otherwise. And when I feel the need to, I’ll continue to speak my mind. But the reality is, on the issues that make up our agenda, we have more common ground than agreement.”