1. Various of press conference with US House Republican leaders
2. SOUNDBITE: (English) Rep. Paul Ryan, Speaker of the House: (responding to question on Trump's possible plan to revoke security clearances)
"I think he's trolling people, honestly. This is something that's in the purview of the executive branch. I think some of these people have already lost their clearances. Some people keep their clearances. That's something that the executive branch deals with. That's not really in our purview. ... I think he's just trolling people."
3. Various of press conference
4. SOUNDBITE: (English) Rep. Paul Ryan, Speaker of the House: (responding to question about Russian President Vladimir Putin's possible visit to U.S.)
"Well, we certainly will not be giving him an invitation to do a joint session. That's something we reserve for allies. Look, I'm comfortable having presidents sit down and have one on ones with foreign leaders. But what I think matters is the message, and if the message is, 'stop meddling in our country, stop violating our sovereignty,' then I support that. But it's the message that counts. (Reporter: Could the president be firmer on that message?) I think we can always be firmer on that message.
5. Various of press conference
6. SOUNDBITE: (English) Rep. Paul Ryan, Speaker of the House:
"I've made it pretty clear, I don't think tariffs are the right answer. I don't support tariffs. I think tariffs are taxes and I think there are better tools that we can use to hold abusers of trade laws and ... countries that perpetuate unfair trade practices, I think there are better tools to use to get them to play fairly. So I just don't think the tariff route is the smart way to go. I understand the president's plan. I understand what he's trying to do and the goal he's trying to achieve is a good one -- a better deal for Americans, better trade agreements. I just don't think tariffs are the way to go. And our members are making that pretty clear."
House Speaker Paul Ryan dismissed President Donald Trump's plan to revoke security clearances from top former national security officials as just a mild form of "trolling," rather than a serious attack on dissent.
The GOP leader shrugged off the White House plan Tuesday, saying, "I think he's trolling people, honestly."
Ryan said the issue of who is able to access security clearances falls within the purview of the executive branch, rather than Congress. He seemed intent on leaving it to the White House to decide. Ryan says, "It's not really in our purview."
He dismissed Trump's threat to revoke the clearances of top former national security officials as simply the president's way of needling his opponents.
"I think he's just trolling people," Ryan said.
The White House on Monday said it was looking into revoking clearances for top former officials who have "politicized" their public service and security clearances by making "baseless accusations" that the Trump administration had improper contact with Russia or was influenced by Russia.
Ryan also responded to a question about President Vladimir Putin's possible visit to Washington this fall, saying he "certainly will not be giving him an invitation to do a joint session (address to Congress.) That's something we reserve for allies."
Ryan also said lawmakers are making the case to President Donald Trump that tariffs are "not the way to go."
The Republican leader told reporters Tuesday, "I've made it pretty clear I don't think tariffs are the right answer."
Ryan's remarks came a couple hours after Trump tweeted that "Tariffs are the greatest!" and threatened to impose additional penalties on U.S. trading partners.
