House Speaker Paul Ryan Paul Davis RyanKenosha will be a good bellwether in 2020 At indoor rally, Pence says election runs through Wisconsin Juan Williams: Breaking down the debates MORE reportedly met with GOP donors Thursday night, during which they discussed the presidential race and Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump Donald John TrumpObama calls on Senate not to fill Ginsburg's vacancy until after election Planned Parenthood: 'The fate of our rights' depends on Ginsburg replacement Progressive group to spend M in ad campaign on Supreme Court vacancy MORE, Politico reported.



Ryan met with some of the top GOP donors in Florida as part of a secretive two-day private meeting planned by a donor group led by New York hedge fund manager Paul Singer.

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Singer formed a coalition called the American Opportunity Alliance, which includes wealthy GOP donors, and has helped fundraise for Republican candidates. Singer had endorsed Marco Rubio Marco Antonio RubioFlorida senators pushing to keep Daylight Savings Time during pandemic Hillicon Valley: DOJ indicts Chinese, Malaysian hackers accused of targeting over 100 organizations | GOP senators raise concerns over Oracle-TikTok deal | QAnon awareness jumps in new poll Intelligence chief says Congress will get some in-person election security briefings MORE and donated money to a pro-Rubio super-PAC that produced anti-Trump ads.

The gathering Thursday was not meant to create a plan to stop the Republican presidential front-runner, Politico reported. It included people who would support Trump if he became the Republican nominee and others who were backing rivals Ted Cruz Rafael (Ted) Edward CruzSenate Republicans face tough decision on replacing Ginsburg Cruz: Trump should nominate a Supreme Court justice next week Renewed focus on Trump's Supreme Court list after Ginsburg's death MORE or John Kasich.

In addition to the presidential race, topics discussed included economic policy, national security and the issue of the Supreme Court vacancy, according to Politico.



Ryan and South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley are scheduled to speak Friday morning. According to an aide to Ryan, his attendance and participation at the event is not an indication that he's joining the effort to stop Trump.



“This shouldn't be construed as an anti-Trump event, and that's certainly not why Speaker Ryan is going,” the aide said.



“His remarks will be in line with what he said this week regarding the Presidential nominating contest ― that he is not running and neutral in the process. I would expect him to focus on the House GOP agenda that is being developed by the task forces. His participation will be focused on the House, not on the presidential contest.”

Ryan hasn't endorsed a candidate. Haley had formerly endorsed Rubio before he dropped out of the race. She endorsed Cruz earlier this week.