- House Speaker Paul Ryan announced Wednesday that he will not seek reelection and will retire from Congress in January.
- Ryan told reporters that he does not want to run for political office again.
- “I’m not going to run for president, that’s not my plan, I’m not going to do that,” Ryan told CNN.
House Speaker Paul Ryan wants to put any rumors about a future in politics to rest right now.
Ryan announced his retirement from the House on Wednesday and told CNN’s Jake Tapper that he has no plans to run for president or any other elected office in the future.
“I really though that when I took this job Jake, that this is probably the last elected office I’d have,” Ryan said. “I’m not going to run for president, that’s not my plan, I’m not going to do that.”
Ryan said he is focused on spending time with his family after the retirement but will continue to “advocate for causes.”
There was speculation Ryan could mull a run for a higher office in the future after his children are grown, but in interviews he dismissed the idea.
“Right now the last thing I’m thinking about is running for something,” Ryan said.
The Wisconsin Republican, who was part of the GOP’s 2012 ticket as a vice presidential nominee and served as House Speaker since 2015, did joke that there is one position he would consider in the future.
“I wouldn’t mind being Ambassador to Ireland when I’m in my 60s,” Ryan told a handful of reporters.