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Bush told the approximately 400 people in attendance that he's been reflecting on threats against American exceptionalism, though he didn't put his remarks in the context of the 2016 race, according to the newspaper. He spoke for an hour, including 40 minutes answering questions.

When asked about the future of the GOP, Bush reportedly responded, “As long as everyone feels welcome, I think we’ll succeed,” according to Rep. Brad Wenstrup (R-Ohio).

Trump has bucked party orthodoxy and advocated a policy platform of revisiting military alliances and renegotiating trade deals. He's also been a vocal critic of Bush, including in the GOP primary.