Former House Speaker Paul Ryan Says Donald Trump Is a 'Proven Loser' and 'Fading Fast'

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Former Republican lawmaker Paul Ryan says Donald Trump is a "proven loser" who is unlikely to get on the general election ballot in 2024.

In an interview with CNN's Jake Tapper, the former House speaker and onetime vice presidential candidate said that Trump is an impediment to the GOP — and that he sees a way forward without the divisive politician.

"Couple things: He's fading fast. He's a proven loser," Ryan, 52, said. "He cost us the House in '18, he cost us the White House in '20, he cost us the Senate again and again, and I think we all know that and I think we're moving past Trump. I really think that's the case."

Ryan then added: "I can't imagine him getting the nomination, frankly."

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The 54th House speaker, who served from 2015 to 2019, also said he views the protracted election of new Speaker Kevin McCarthy as a positive turn of events for the party.

"The thing that I take solace in with all the machinations you saw last week," he said, is that "most of that wasn't personal, most of that was around fiscal responsibility, most of that was about a concern about spending, inflation and debt — that's great."

Ryan shared that, while he doesn't believe "brinkmanship" solves intra-party squabbling, the Republicans are moving in the right direction.

"Republicans finally re-acquiring their moorings on the party of fiscal responsibility and limited government," he said. "That to me is the good thing that I see in all this weird stuff."

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Ryan's perspective on the state of his party comes one week after McCarthy was elected speaker of the House following a history-making 15 rounds of voting.

Going into the House speaker election, McCarthy had not secured the majority vote required to win — yet he refused to rescind his candidacy, reportedly telling the House Republican Conference ahead of the first vote, "I earned this job. We earned this majority, and God dammit we are going to win it today."

It was the first time since 1923, that nobody won the House speaker election on the first go-around, pointing to fierce division within the GOP, which should have had an easy time electing a speaker as the majority party.

Win McNamee/Getty Kevin McCarthy rallying with Republicans between House speaker votes

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McCarthy failed to gain enough votes during the 14th round of voting, prompting them to vote on adjournment until Monday, but a last scramble led to a 15th round of votes, clinching the speakership for McCarthy early last Saturday morning.

While the House speaker race was locked in a stalemate last week, President Joe Biden called the situation "a little embarrassing."

Biden's comments came as he spoke with reporters last Wednesday, when he explained "the fight over the Speaker … that's not my problem," adding, "I just think it's a little embarrassing that it's taking so long," Politico reported. "The rest of the world is looking," Biden added.