Apr 7, 2019

Trump to Paul Ryan after Access Hollywood tape: "You're just a Boy Scout"

Jonathan Swan

Trump as a boy scout badge — Illustration: Lazaro Gamio/Axios

You'll find a trove of deeply sourced reporting in the new book, out Tuesday, by Politico's Playbook authors Jake Sherman and Anna Palmer. Here's a taste of the reporting from Trump's Washington, found in "The Hill to Die On."

On November 10, [Paul] Ryan and Trump met face-to-face. The Speaker hosted Trump; his wife, Melania; and Mike Pence on Capitol Hill for lunch at the Capitol Hill Club, and a subsequent tour of the Capitol and the Speaker's balcony, the space off of Ryan's office.

When Ryan walked into the Capitol Hill Club, Trump grabbed the Speaker's hand and brought him close in. "I think I got you figured out," Trump said to him. "That thing really rattled you." He was talking about the Access Hollywood tape.

"Yeah, it really did," Ryan replied.

"I get you," Trump said. "You're just a Boy Scout. You're also kind of religious, aren’t you?"

"You're like Mike on that, aren't you?" Melania chimed into the conversation.

"I'm a devout Catholic," Ryan said, "and yes, I take that stuff very seriously."

"Oh, okay," Trump said. "You're just a Boy Scout. That's what it is."

Go deeper: Ryan told Republicans to feel free to abandon Trump after Access Hollywood tape

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Trump to Paul Ryan after Access Hollywood tape: "You're just a Boy Scout"

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