DHAKA: House Speaker Paul Ryan dealt his own party’s presidential nominee a withering blow Monday, telling fellow Republicans he will no longer defend Donald Trump and will instead use the next 29 days to focus on preserving his party’s hold on Congress.

“The speaker is going to spend the next month focused entirely on protecting our congressional majorities,” reports CNN.

The move highly unusual in US political history laid bare the seemingly intractable divisions now seizing the Republican Party with a month left before the presidential vote.

Support for Trump among the GOP establishment, already weak amid disagreements over policy and tone, has now eroded to new lows.

In a conference call with members Monday morning, Ryan told lawmakers, “You all need to do what’s best for you and your district,”

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“He will spend his entire energy making sure that Hillary Clinton does not get a blank check with a Democrat-controlled Congress,”

An implied acknowledgment that Trump no longer appears able to capture the White House.

Reaction to Ryan’s decision illustrates the schism currently splitting the Republican Party. A person who listened to the call said the reaction wasn’t entirely positive and that Ryan’s comments angered more conservative GOP members who believed the speaker was essentially conceding the presidential contest to Clinton.

Later on Monday Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus reiterated his support for embattled GOP nominee Trump.

“Nothing has changed in regard with our relationship,” Priebus said in a call with RNC committeemen.

He said the Trump campaign and RNC are in full coordination.

BDST: 1121 HRS, OCT 11, 2016
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