WASHINGTON: Paul Ryan, the speaker of the House, issued a stinging rebuke yesterday (Tuesday) of Donald Trump's statements about a judge of Mexican descent, calling them "the textbook definition of a racist comment".
Mr Ryan was speaking at a policy event intended to help unite the Republican Party. But it was overshadowed by the growing backlash against Mr Trump for his claims the judge in a fraud case relating to his Trump University programme was biased because of his race.
"He's a Mexican," Mr Trump said of his accusations of bias against Judge Gonzalo Curiel. "We're building a wall between here and Mexico."
He later said a Muslim judge might also be unable to rule fairly in the case.
Mr Ryan, the most senior Republican elected official, called those comments "unacceptable". "I absolutely disavow those comments. I think they're wrong. I don't think they're right-headed and the thinking behind it is something I don't even personally relate to," he said.