Adelson voices support for Trump

GOP megadonor Sheldon Adelson voiced support Thursday night for presumptive White House nominee Donald Trump, hours after Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.) said Trump had not yet earned his endorsement.

{mosads}In a brief interview with The New York Times at a Manhattan gala for the World Values Network, Adelson said he’d back Trump in November’s general election.

“Yes, I’m a Republican, he’s a Republican,” Adelson said. “He’s our nominee. Whoever the nominee would turn out to be, any one of the 17 — he was one of the 17. He won fair and square.”

Adelson’s comments indicate that significant members of the GOP donor class will be willing to throw in with Trump, even as some in the party’s establishment remain wary of embracing his campaign too closely.

Earlier Thursday, Ryan said he was “just not ready” to endorse Trump’s presidential bid, and previous Republican nominees and presidents indicated they’d be skipping July’s party convention, set to put Trump on top of the ticket.

Trump had met with Adelson late last year, but made it clear at the time he didn’t consider his backing a necessity.

“Mr. Trump would be happy to have Mr. Adelson’s support but doesn’t want or need his money,” a spokeswoman said at the time.