President Barack Obama on Friday urged the media to take Donald Trump’s presidential candidacy seriously, saying, “This is not a reality show.”
The president was asked about the Republican race during an impromptu press conference following remarks on the economy at Friday’s White House briefing.
“[Trump] has a long record that needs to be examined,” Obama said, according to Fox News, before urging the public to “take seriously” some of the controversial statements he’s made.
“This is a really serious job. This is not entertainment. This is not a reality show. This is a contest for the presidency of the United States,” he added.
The comments come as Trump is all but assured the Republican nomination, after his two remaining rivals, Ted Cruz and John Kasich, dropped out following the billionaire’s victory in the Indiana primary.
Friday’s remarks mark the start of a more focused effort by the president to keep the Oval Office out of the GOP standard-bearer’s hands next January, according to Fox News.
“Every candidate, every nominee needs to be subject to exacting standards and genuine scrutiny,” he told reporters.
The comments come a day after Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan told CNN in an interview he is “not yet ready” to support Trump for president.
Ryan said he wants Trump to unify “all wings of the Republican Party and the conservative movement” and then run a campaign that will allow Americans to “have something that they’re proud to support and proud to be a part of.”
Trump responded to the Speaker’s comments by saying, “I am not ready to support Speaker Ryan’s agenda. Perhaps in the future we can work together and come to an agreement about what is best for the American people.”
“They have been treated so badly for so long that it is about time for politicians to put them first!” he added.
(Arutz Sheva’s North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Arutz Sheva articles, however, is Israeli time.)