GOP Representative Calls Paul Ryan a ‘Piece of Trash’ for Trump Comments

Rep. Troy Nehls (R-Texas) called former Speaker Paul Ryan (R) a “piece of trash” after the former House Speaker called former President Trump “unfit for office” and vowed not to vote him in November, in an interview the previous Tuesday.

“Paul Ryan, you are a piece of trash. You are a piece of trash. And you, we should kick you out of the party. Paul Ryan saying he won’t vote for Donald Trump – that’s the problem with some of our Republicans. They’re guys like that,” Nehls told CNN’s Manu Raju in an interview that aired Wednesday.

“Don’t come out and say you’re a conservative,” Nehls added. “You are spitting in the face of the leader of our party, Donald Trump. I mean, grow up a little.

Nehls, a loyal Trump supporter, was responding to comments Ryan made on Fox News’ “Your World with Neil Cavuto” on Tuesday, when Ryan explained his decision not to vote for Trump in 2024.

“I voted for him in 2016, hoping there would be a different kind of person in office, and I think character is a very important issue. If you put yourself above the Constitution, as he did, that means you are not fit for public office,” Ryan said.

Ryan said the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol was “part” of his decision not to support Trump, but said many other factors contributed to the decision.

“I think at the end of the day it’s just character,” he added. “And the fact that if you are willing to put yourself above the Constitution – an oath that you take when you take office, federal office, whether it is president or a member of Congress – you take an oath to the Constitution and if you are willing to bribe that to himself, I think that makes him unfit for the job.”

Ryan has frequently criticized the former president and said last month that he would not support his re-election bid. On Tuesday, Ryan said he would not vote for either Trump or President Biden.

Asked to respond to a social media post last month in which Trump labeled Ryan a RINO, or “Republican in Name Only,” Ryan rejected the post. He said “RINO” now refers to someone who does not pledge allegiance to Trump.

“Loyalty to Trump is what a RINO is, which means if you do not pledge allegiance to this man, then you are a RINO. It used to mean a liberal Republican versus a conservative,” Ryan said.

“I’m a conservative Republican. He is a populist. He is not a conservative. I want to see someone who is… who is true to principle. I prefer a party based on principles, not personality or populism,” he added.

This story originally appeared on thehill.com read the full story