Essential question
What role does compromise play within a political party in a presidential election year?
After becoming the presumptive Republican nominee, Donald Trump met privately with party leaders, including House Speaker Paul Ryan, on Capitol Hill.
Trump and Ryan issued a joint statement May 12 calling the meeting a “great conversation,” but Ryan has not endorsed Trump.
“The question is, what is it that we need to do to unify the Republican Party and all strains of conservative wings in the party?” Ryan said in a news conference following the meeting.
Ryan said it was a good beginning to try to balance Trump’s populist mentality with Ryan’s small-government brand of conservatism.
Later, Trump tweeted: “Great day in D.C. with Speaker Ryan and Republican leadership. Things working out really well.”
Anti-Trump protesters gathered by the Capitol to voice opposition to the Republican front-runner’s stance on immigration. Democrats including Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid criticized Republican leaders for meeting with Trump given some of his more controversial statements.
“We can only assume that the Republican leader is not repulsed by Donald Trump’s vulgar behavior towards women,” Reid said.
Political analyst Norman Ornstein says Ryan’s meeting with Trump enables other Republicans to show that you can distance yourself from Trump “without completely trashing him and alienating his own backers.”
Key terms
conciliatory — intended or likely to placate or pacify
endorse — declare one’s public approval or support of
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