http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/presidential-races/282740-trump-disappointed-and-surprised-by-top-republicansJune 08, 2016, 03:23 pm
Trump 'disappointed and surprised' by top Republicans' criticism
By Rebecca Savransky
Presumptive GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump on Wednesday said he didn't expect top Republican leaders to criticize comments he made about a federal judge overseeing lawsuits against Trump University as "racist."
"I was disappointed and surprised," Trump said in an interview Wednesday with Time.
Trump had questioned whether Indiana-born Judge Gonzalo Curiel was biased against him because of his Mexican heritage.
On Tuesday, Trump released a statement saying his comments had been misconstrued "as a categorical attack against people of Mexican heritage." He said in the statement he didn't think someone's heritage "makes them incapable of being impartial."
Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) called Trump's remarks on the judge the "textbook definition of racist comments."
"I regret these comments that he made," Ryan said Tuesday, noting the comments were "indefensible." "I think that should be absolutely disavowed."
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) also criticized Trump for his comments, calling on the presumptive GOP nominee to "get on message."
"We have plenty of issues," McConnell told reporters. "And my advice to our nominee would be to start talking about the issues that the American people care about and to start doing it now.
“In addition to that, it’s time to quit attacking various people that you competed with or with various minority groups in the country and get on message,” he said. “This election is eminently winnable.”
Trump told Time he was surprised by the criticism after having "won more votes than anyone in the history of the party."
"I didn't think it was necessary. But, you know, they have to say what they have to say. I'm a big boy," he said.
"They have to say what they have to say."
