Ryan downplays any differences with Trump on trade

MILWAUKEE — House Speaker Paul Ryan says he's on the same page as presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump when it comes to trade deals.

But he declined to comment on Trump's recent comments comparing one proposed trade agreement to rape.

"Look, he wants to get good trade agreements," Ryan said Wednesday in an interview with the Journal Sentinel. "So do I."

Ryan's comments downplaying their differences on trade came just one day after Trump compared the Trans-Pacific Partnership to rape during a speech in Ohio.

"The Trans-Pacific Partnership is another disaster done and pushed by special interests who want to rape our country," Trump told supporters Tuesday at an Ohio college. "Just a continuing rape of our country."

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Donald Trump: Special interests want to 'rape' our country via trade deal

Meanwhile, Ryan has been calling on the administration to start talking to the United Kingdom about a new trade agreement in the wake of the country's decision to exit the European Union.

Ryan declined to weigh in specifically on Trump's "rape" comparison, saying, "I just for the first time heard that, so I'm not going to comment on that."

The Janesville Republican added that he has his own criticisms of the TPP, but stressed the need for the United States to negotiate trade deals.

"I do clearly think it's important for America to lead in the world, and to write the rules of the global economy, so that we set the standards — versus our competitors like China writing the rules of the global economy. So we need to engage," Ryan said. "What I have heard from him, is that we need to engage, that we need to have very good trade agreements that are good for America. And I agree with that."

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Ryan also warned that the U.S. would be left behind if it backed away from trade agreements.

"What I want to make sure is that we don't retreat from the world, because then China and others will write the rules" he said. "And that to me would be a mistake."

During Wednesday's interview, Ryan also doubled down on his criticism of Democrats over last week's 25-hour sit-in on the floor of the House, saying "I think they degraded the institution with their conduct."

Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., kicked off the sit-in, which brought legislative business to a halt and triggered a chaotic showdown as Democrats demanded a vote on gun control legislation.

"They were basically trying to shut down Congress and get publicity, and then they fundraised off it, which I think was wrong," Ryan said. "I think it demeans our institution, it demeans Congress, it demeans the oldest democracy in the world, which should be able to lead the world in showing that we can have civilized debate on big, tough issues."