Paul Ryan Was ‘Sobbing’ as He Watched Jan. 6 Attack: ‘Something Snapped’

A new book says that former House Speaker Paul Ryan was “sobbing” as he watched the U.S. Capitol come under attack by Donald Trump’s supporters on January 6.

CNN obtained a preview of Thank You for Your Servitude, the upcoming book from The Atlantic’s Mark Leibovich which focuses on how the former president bent the Republican Party to his will. According to the excerpt, Ryan told Leibovich that “something snapped in him” while the storming of the Capitol happened, and he “found himself sobbing” in the midst of it.

“I spent my whole adult life in that building,” Ryan 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.”

Trump and Ryan had a long history of political animosity for each other, with the latter condemning the former for the direction with which he has taken the GOP. Another portion of Leibovich’s book says Ryan told him he didn’t expect Trump’s 2020 election grievances to result in violence, and was “absolutely horrified” when it did.

“Ryan figured the president would bitch and moan and maybe make a big show of ‘fighting’ for his supporters for a while,” wrote Leibovich. “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 also said Ryan hasn’t spoken to Trump since leaving Congress, and “he expected never to speak to him again.”