How Paul Ryan reacted to US Capitol attack: ‘Something snapped in him’

Former House Speaker Paul Ryan was “sobbing” and felt “disturbed” as he watched the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol unfold on television, a new book reports.

In Atlantic journalist’s Mark Leibovich’s new book, “Thank You For Your Servitude,” Ryan said he was “absolutely horrified” by the events of that day. A copy of the book has been obtained by CNN.

“I spent my whole adult life in that building,” Ryan, who served as a Republican congressman from Wisconsin for two decades, told Leibovich, according to the book. “And I saw my friends, a lot of cops, some of my old security detail — I’m still friends with a bunch of those guys. It really disturbed me, foundationally.”

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Ryan told Leibovich that he’s not much of a crier but “something snapped in him” as he watched the Capitol attack.

“Ryan figured the president would bitch and moan and maybe make a big show of ‘fighting’ for his supporters for a while,” Leibovich wrote in his book. “Everyone could feel good and victimized. But eventually Trump would just leave; hopefully, he would know to do this on his own. And everyone could then just get on with their lives.” 

Since leaving Congress in 2019, Ryan has kept a relatively low profile. His exit from Congress was seen as a blow to GOP members who supported Ryan and saw him as a stable and policy-oriented leader in Trump’s tumultuous presidency.

Ryan, who has criticized the former president, said that he never thought Donald Trump’s founded election grievances “would come to” the violence on January 6, 2021.

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“Ryan figured the president would bitch and moan and maybe make a big show of ‘fighting’ for his supporters for a while. Everyone could feel good and victimized. But eventually Trump would just leave; hopefully, he would know to do this on his own. And everyone could then just get on with their lives,” Leibovich writes in the book.

Leibovich also wrote that Ryan hadn’t spoken with Trump since leaving Congress and “he expected never to speak to him again.”

The House select committee is investigating the Jan 6, 2021 attack at the Capitol. This week, the committee is set to hold two public hearings, after completing six televised public hearings last month.

Committee members said on Sunday that this week’s hearings will focus on testimony from former White House Counsel Pat Cipollone, the involvement of far-right extremist groups and discussions about using the military to seize voting machines.