Trump Says He’s Taking the ‘Shackles’ Off
Republican nominee has harsh words for GOP leaders, Ryan in particular

Donald Trump is no longer taking orders from Republican leadership and he is letting everyone know it.
Multiple Republicans have rescinded their support for the GOP presidential nominee after last Friday’s release of a 2005 video obtained by The Washington Post that showed Trump making lewd remarks about women.
On a conference call Monday with Republican officials, House Speaker Paul D. Ryan said he would not defend Trump or campaign with him in the last month of the election.
But Trump took to Twitter on Tuesday to say that suits him fine.
It is so nice that the shackles have been taken off me and I can now fight for America the way I want to.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 11, 2016
During that same tweetstorm, Trump slammed the speaker for all but abandoning his candidacy.
Despite winning the second debate in a landslide (every poll), it is hard to do well when Paul Ryan and others give zero support!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 11, 2016
Our very weak and ineffective leader, Paul Ryan, had a bad conference call where his members went wild at his disloyalty.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 11, 2016
Trump also took shots at the party that nominated him as its standard-bearer.
With the exception of cheating Bernie out of the nom the Dems have always proven to be far more loyal to each other than the Republicans!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 11, 2016
Disloyal R’s are far more difficult than Crooked Hillary. They come at you from all sides. They don’t know how to win – I will teach them!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 11, 2016
Trump also criticized Ryan on Monday.
Paul Ryan should spend more time on balancing the budget, jobs and illegal immigration and not waste his time on fighting Republican nominee
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 10, 2016
Trump and Ryan have had a contentious relationship since the real estate mogul emerged as the Republican nominee after this year’s primaries.
Back in May, Ryan said that he was “just not there right now” on endorsing Trump, even after it was clear that Trump would be the GOP nominee. The speaker eventually endorsed him in June.
Similarly, Trump held off on backing Ryan in his August congressional primary, saying he was “just not quite there yet.” He changed his mind three days later and endorsed him.
But Ryan has also been forced to denounce Trump on numerous occasions, including when Trump said an Indiana-born judge overseeing a fraud case against Trump University couldn’t be objective because he was of Mexican descent.
Ryan called those remarks “the textbook definition of a racist statement.”
Later in the day, Trump unloaded on the GOP’s 2008 presidential nominee, Sen. John McCain, who rescinded his endorsement.
The very foul mouthed Sen. John McCain begged for my support during his primary (I gave, he won), then dropped me over locker room remarks!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 11, 2016