Donald J. Trump addresses the Faith & Freedom Coalition's Road to Majority Conference on June 10 in Washington, D.C. | M. Scott Mahaskey/POLITICO Trump tells GOP leaders to 'get tougher' The presumptive Republican nominee rants against GOP leaders, saying they should just 'be quiet' if they can't support him.

Donald Trump on Wednesday singled out Republican leaders, explicitly telling them to get tougher, sharper, smarter and quiet.

The presumptive Republican presidential nominee during an Atlanta rally threatened to win in November with or without the support of his colleagues, who have grown weary after months of being forced to respond to the businessman’s bombastic proposals and controversial off-the-cuff statements.


“You know, the Republicans, honestly, folks, our leaders — our leaders have to get tougher,” Trump said Wednesday. “This is too tough to do it alone. But you know what? I think I’m gonna be forced to. I think I’m going to be forced to.”

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told POLITICO on Tuesday, “I’m not going to be commenting on the presidential candidates today” — a statement that comes after recent condemnations of Trump’s attack on an American judge over his Mexican heritage and his proposal to temporarily ban Muslims from entering the country.

Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn on Tuesday went a step further than McConnell, telling POLITICO he will no longer talk about Trump until after Nov. 8.

House Speaker Paul Ryan on Tuesday joined with President Barack Obama and other Democrats in calling out Trump for his anti-Muslim rhetoric, saying “I do not think a Muslim ban is in our country’s interest.”

At his rally, Trump appeared to be on board with Republican leaders no longer having anything to say about him but also suggested that they’re weak.

“Our leaders have to get a lot tougher, and be quiet. Just please be quiet,” Trump told his supporters. “Don’t talk. Please, be quiet. Just be quiet, to the leaders, because they have to get tougher, they have to get sharper, they have to get smarter, and we have to have our Republicans either stick together or let me just do it by myself.”

Trump stressed that he would do “very well” by himself.

“A lot of people thought I should do that anyway,” he said. “But I’ll just do it very nicely by myself. I think you’re gonna have a very good result. I think we’ll be very happy. I’ll run as a Republican.”

The growing silence from Senate Republicans follows a string of GOP lawmakers distancing themselves from the real estate mogul, with some even rescinding their endorsements. Trump often boasts of the endorsements he’s racked up but also dismisses their impact, particularly when a Republican refuses to back the billionaire.

“You know, the endorsement thing, I’ve gotten — by the way, I’ve gotten tremendous endorsements, but if I don’t get them that’s OK,” Trump said. “We’re gonna run. We’re gonna win. And here’s what we’re going to do when we win: We’re gonna make our country so great again.”