Shortly before 9 a.m. Thursday, presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump arrived at the Republican National Committee’s Washington office for his much-anticipated meeting with House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI).
Ryan has withheld his endorsement of the bombastic billionaire, prompting warnings from members of his own party in the House. He said he wants to use the meeting to start the unification of the party and for getting to know Trump.
“To pretend we’re unified as a party after coming through a very bruising primary, which just ended like a week ago, to pretend we’re unified without actually unifying, we go into the fall at half strength,” Ryan told reporters on Wednesday.
RNC Chair Reince Priebus is also expected to be present at the meeting.
The meeting was cause for a massive media scrum:
Perspective: protesters on left side of street, members of media (way more) on right. pic.twitter.com/nrNKCaMd4r
— Hallie Jackson (@HallieJackson) May 12, 2016
Just some of the #media trying to get a view of @realDonaldTrump outside RNC HQ in DC. pic.twitter.com/R2UTUSlgfk
— M. Scott Mahaskey (@smahaskey) May 12, 2016
.@realDonaldTrump will likely be getting into this car to go from Ryan to McConnell meeting and the PRESS IS ON IT! pic.twitter.com/sY8rZK6hYn
— Cameron Joseph (@cam_joseph) May 12, 2016
Protesters also turned out to meet Trump:
Donald Trump currently meeting with Ryan and outside,this paper mache Donald is holding down the fort. pic.twitter.com/1uUtQi7wYP
— Lauren Fox (@FoxReports) May 12, 2016
This post has been updated.
