Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump took steps to steer his White House campaign back into favour with his party on Friday with reported plans to endorse U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan after expressing coolness toward him earlier this week.
Fox News and CNN said Mr. Trump would endorse Mr. Ryan, the top U.S. elected Republican, in his re-election bid at a rally in Green Bay, Wisconsin, which is Mr. Ryan’s home State. Mr. Ryan had no plans to attend the event, in a sign of lingering friction between them.
Mr. Trump’s endorsement of the Speaker should ease some of the tension generated by his refusal earlier this week to endorse Mr. Ryan when he told The Washington Post he was “not quite there yet” — using the same phrase Mr. Ryan had used about Mr. Trump before finally endorsing him.
Mr. Ryan, who has been endorsed by Mr. Trump’s vice-presidential running mate, Mike Pence, is viewed by establishment Republicans as a possible presidential candidate in the future. He is expected to win a challenge for his House seat in next week’s Republican primary from businessman Paul Nehlen.
Mr. Trump also announced support for Senators John McCain and Kelly Ayotte, two lawmakers facing tough re-election fights.
Mr. Trump announced he was setting up an economic advisory team to help guide him on economic policy.
In addition, the Republican candidate plans to release his framework for boosting the U.S. economy in a speech in Detroit on Monday, an event that will offer him a chance to avoid theatrics and to detail how he would handle economic issues if elected.
