Paul Ryan Hasn't Asked Donald Trump to Apologize for Inciting Violence Despite Asking Maxine Waters to Do Just That

House Speaker Paul Ryan told reporters on Tuesday that Democratic Representative Maxine Waters should "obviously apologize" for making comments about Trump administration officials that Ryan said suggested to "violence, harassment and intimidation."

"When we in this democracy are suggesting that because we disagree with people on political, policy and philosophical views, that we should resort to violence, harassment and intimidation, that's dangerous for our society," Ryan said. "It's dangerous for our democracy. She should apologize, and there's just no place for that in our public discourse."

Ryan was referring to Waters's comments over the weekend when she said that Trump administration officials should expect continued harassment at restaurants and in public if they keep defending his "zero-tolerance" immigration policy that led to thousands of migrant children being separated from their parents.

But while Ryan was quick to condemn a member of the opposite party for what he called violent comments, he has yet to ask the president to apologize for comments he has made both on the campaign trail and in office that many viewed as inciting violence, harassment and intimidation.

Ryan's office did not respond to Newsweek's request for comment about whether the speaker believes Trump should also apologize for violent comments he's made in the past.

Multiple times over the past few years, Trump has talked about his supporters hitting protesters and said he would defend them in court. As a protester was escorted out of a rally in March, Trump said: "Try not to hurt him. But if you do, I'll defend you in court. Don't worry about it."

Last July, Trump tweeted a video mocked up to show him physically assaulting wrestling boss Vince McMahon with a CNN logo over his face as part of his regular attacks on the media. Ryan was among the Republican leaders chided for their silence in the wake of the much-criticized tweet.

Waters offered her rebuke to Trump and defended her comments Monday night on MSNBC, saying that she called for peaceful protests.

"I would not in any way support any violence, anybody being hit or beaten or say to them: 'I'll help get you out of jail,'" she said. "This president is guilty of all of that."

She also referenced multiple instances where the president has mentioned hitting or punching people at his rallies.

While the congresswoman received backlash from her own party in addition to Republicans, Trump took to Twitter to respond, calling her an "extraordinarily low IQ person."

Although Trump claimed Waters "called for harm" to his supporters, she did not directly say that.

"If you see anybody from that cabinet in a restaurant – a department store, a gas station – you get out and you create a crowd," Waters said at a Los Angeles rally on Saturday. "You push back on them and you tell them they're not welcome anymore anywhere."

In response to Trump's tweet, Waters said Monday night that she expects Trump to "say anything."

"He's a liar. He's deplorable. He cannot be trusted," Waters said. "The American people should be accustomed to that now."