"I just can't let that happen."
Regardless, Ryan insisted that he has "no regrets" from his tenure in Congress, and that he put all of his being into his work. He insisted that the current political climate did not influence his decision to retire from Congress.
On Twitter, President Donald Trump offered praise for Ryan, even though the two have butted heads in the past. Trump said that Ryan was a "truly good man" who will "leave a legacy of achievement that nobody can question."
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Speaker Paul Ryan is a truly good man, and while he will not be seeking re-election, he will leave a legacy of achievement that nobody can question. We are with you Paul!</p>— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/984066131303583746?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 11, 2018</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) also offered praise for Ryan, saying in a statement that, "Despite our differences, I commend his steadfast commitment to our country. During his final months, Democrats are hopeful that he joins us to work constructively to advance better futures for all Americans."
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/NancyPelosi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NancyPelosi</a> reacts to Paul Ryan's retirement. <a href="https://t.co/ceagNZpH48">pic.twitter.com/ceagNZpH48</a></p>— Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) <a href="https://twitter.com/sahilkapur/status/984072202344640514?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 11, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Ryan has talked about his Catholic faith numerous times during his two decades in Congress. He spoke at this year's March for Life in Washington, D.C. and has spoken out in favor of religious freedom and pro-life legislation.