PRESIDENTIAL RACE | Trump targets Ryan in another tweet

WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump is again attacking House Speaker Paul Ryan. He’s calling him “very weak and ineffective” a day after the House speaker said he would not campaign for the Republican nominee.

Ryan told Republican lawmakers on a conference call Monday that he would focus instead on helping the party keep control of the House.

Trump referred to that call in his tweet this morning. He said Ryan “had a bad conference call where his members went wild at his disloyalty.”

It was his second tweet of the morning targeting Ryan. The other said Trump’s “zero support” was making it hard for Trump to do well.

Ryan did face some pushback from members upset he was abandoning Trump. The House speaker continues to endorse the nominee.

Meanwhile, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie says he still supports Trump though he describes the Republican presidential candidate’s crude comments as “completely indefensible.”

A top Trump ally, Christie for the first time publicly addressed Trump’s comments today during an interview on New York sports radio station WFAN.

A 2005 video released Friday revealed Trump using predatory language regarding women. Trump has described his comments as “locker room talk” and said he regrets them.

Christie said he made it clear to Trump on Friday that this kind of talk, even in private, is unacceptable. He said the candidate had to be contrite and apologetic.

Christie says he would have apologized differently, but he believes Trump is sorry and embarrassed.