Trump and GOP leaders: We can’t afford to lose Congress

President Donald Trump and House Speaker Paul Ryan said Friday they cannot afford to let a Republican-controlled Congress control the country.

“I think it’s going to be difficult for us to win,” Ryan told reporters.

“We have a real competitive primary.

We have a really good candidate.

I think the fact that we are still going to have some Democratic governors, and the fact we have some Republican governors, it will make it difficult to do well in November.”

Trump, speaking to reporters, said the president would work with Democratic leaders to “get the Republicans to agree to the budget, but we’re not there yet.”

“The House has a majority, we have a majority in the Senate,” he said.

Ryan, a former speaker, said Democrats have “put the cart before the horse.”

“I’m not going to talk about who the nominee is until the president has a nominee,” Ryan said.

The president has said he wants to get rid of the tax bill that was passed in December.

Democrats say they can’t agree to anything if Republicans keep the tax cuts for the wealthy.

“It is a very difficult time for the country,” said Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.).

“I’ve said for months we’re going to get the tax bills back,” she said.

Ryan said he does not know how he will vote.

He has promised to continue working with Democrats on tax reform, though.

The Hill’s Robert Costa has more.

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