WASHINGTON _ Donald Trump criticized Paul Ryan for a third day ahead of the publication of a book in which Ryan reportedly criticizes the president, saying the former House Speaker "almost killed the Republican Party."
"Weak, ineffective & stupid are not exactly the qualities that Republicans, or CITIZENS of our Country, were looking for," Trump said in a pair of Twitter messages Saturday afternoon, after returning from several hours at the golf course.
Trump called House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy "a far superior leader" to Ryan, who opted not to seek re-election to his Wisconsin House seat in 2018. Under Ryan's leadership the GOP lost its majority in the House to Democrats in the 2018 midterm elections.
The president has taken on Ryan after an interview the former lawmaker gave to author Tim Alberta for the book "American Carnage: On the Front Lines of the Republican Civil War and the Rise of President Trump," which details Trump's ascendance to the White House. The book is scheduled for release on July 16.
In "American Carnage" Ryan is quoted as saying, according to media reports, that, "We've gotten so numbed by it all. Not in government, but where we live our lives, we have a responsibility to try and rebuild. Don't call a woman a 'horse face.' Don't cheat on your wife. Don't cheat on anything. Set a good example."
Ryan also said that while in government he helped Trump "make much better decisions, which were contrary to kind of what his knee-jerk reaction was. Now I think he's making some of those knee-jerk reactions."
On Thursday, Trump sent three tweets on Ryan, saying his "record of achievement was atrocious" and that he'd left the Republican Party "in the lurch both as a fundraiser & leader."
"Couldn't get him out of Congress fast enough!" the president tweeted.
Trump also spoke about Ryan on Friday before flying to events in the former Speaker's home state.
"Paul Ryan was a terrible speaker," Trump told reporters as he departed Washington. "Frankly he was a baby. He didn't know what the hell he was doing."
