WASHINGTON _ House Speaker Paul D. Ryan, R-Wis., defended Steve Bannon as a top adviser in Donald Trump's White House, praising the political strategist despite critics who note he has provided a platform for white nationalism.
Ryan, who said he talks to Trump every day now, dismissed the furor over Bannon, saying the former editor of Breitbart News was crucial to the Republican president-elect's success.
"This is a person who helped him win an incredible victory," Ryan said Tuesday. "We're confident about moving forward. We're confident about the transition."
Ryan also brushed aside the attacks launched by Bannon and Breitbart against him that criticized the speaker as part of the GOP establishment. Ryan had been slow to embrace Trump, then wavered once he did.
"I'm not looking backward, I'm looking forward," Ryan said. "I'm looking for how we make this work for the American people."
