US President Barack Obama launched a broadside at presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump on Friday, saying the presidency “is not a reality show.”
US President Barack Obama launched a broadside at presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump on Friday, saying the presidency “is not a reality show.”
Mr Obama also said Mr Trump’s record needs to come under closer scrutiny.
“We are in serious times and this is a really serious job. This is not entertainment. This is not a reality show.”
US Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, the nation’s top Republican, said on Thursday that he was not yet prepared to support Mr Trump as the party’s presumptive presidential nominee, signalling a deep rift within the GOP.
“To be perfectly candid... I’m just not ready to do that at this point,” Mr Ryan told CNN.
“I hope to though, and I want to. But I think what is required is that we unify this party.”
It was a stunning declaration expected to reverberate throughout the party’s establishment and its rank and file, amid swirling concerns over whether conservatives will rally around Mr Trump in his expected election matchup against Democrat Hillary Clinton.
Mr Ryan, who repeated he would not accept the nomination in case of a contested convention, was the Republican vice-presidential nominee in 2012 and is currently second in line to the presidency. Mr Trump shot back within minutes.
“I am not ready to support Speaker Ryan’s agenda,” he said in a statement.
“Perhaps in the future we can work together and come to an agreement about what is best for the American people.”
Later, he told Fox News that he was surprised by Mr Ryan’s comments.
Meanwhile, Nearly half of American voters who support either Democrat Hillary Clinton or Republican Donald Trump for the White House said they will mainly be trying to block the other side from winning, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll.
About 47 per cent of Trump supporters said they backed him primarily because they don’t want Ms Clinton to win. Another 43 per cent said their primary motivation was a liking for Mr Trump’s political positions, while six per cent said they liked him personally.
Similar responses prevailed among Ms Clinton supporters. About 46 per cent said they would vote for her mostly because they don’t want to see a Trump presidency, while 40 per cent said they agreed with her political positions, and 11 per cent said they liked her personally.
