In mid-January, before any of the Republican presidential nominating contests, columnist George Will speculated about the consequences of a Donald Trump nomination. “[In 1964] I cast my vote for Barry Goldwater who valued that classic, creative defeat of his because he took the Republican Party and said, ‘Henceforth it will be a conservative party,’” Will said at the time. “Those of us who feel that way are not about to sit idly and … let it disappear in 2016.”

Five months later, Trump is the GOP’s presumptive nominee, and Will, one of the most recognized Republican pundits in the nation, has officially walked away from his party

Writer and commentator George Will, who helped shape Republican politics for decades, says he has officially left the party and changed his voter registration to “unaffiliated.” NY Daily News’ Robert George and The Washington Post’s E.J. Dionne join to…

“This is not my party,” Will reportedly said Friday during a luncheon held by the Federalist Society, a conservative and libertarian organization.

“This is not my party,” Will reportedly said Friday during a luncheon held by the Federalist Society, a conservative and libertarian organization.

Will, who added that House Speaker Paul Ryan’s endorsement of Trump pushed him over the edge, has changed his Maryland voter registration to “unaffiliated.”

Asked to comment on the news during an appearance on “Fox News Sunday” yesterday, Will elaborated on his unexpected decision.

WALLACE: Well, before we get to Britain leaving the E.U., George, I want to talk about you. You announced this week that you have left the Republican Party. Why?

WILL: I left it for the same reason I joined it in 1964 when I voted for Barry Goldwater. I joined it because I was a conservative. But I leave for the same reason, that I’m a conservative. To give you a time line, shortly after Trump became the presumptive nominee, he had a summit meeting with Paul Ryan where they stressed their common principles and their vast shared ground, which is much more important than their differences. I thought that was puzzling doubly so because Paul Ryan still didn’t endorse him.

After Trump went after the Mexican judge from northern Indiana, then Paul Ryan endorsed him. And I decided that, in fact, this is not my party anymore. I changed my registration to unaffiliated 23 days ago. I hardly made an announcement. I just mentioned this in a meeting with the Federalist Society. So the long and the short of it is, as Ronald Reagan said when he changed his registration, I did not leave the Democratic Party, the Democratic Party left me.

WALLACE: Now, not surprisingly, Donald Trump has tweeted his reaction to this news today. Let’s put it up on the screen. He says that you are “overrated” and that you lost your way a long time ago. Would you like to respond to Mr. Trump?