Donald Trump Donald John TrumpBubba Wallace to be driver of Michael Jordan, Denny Hamlin NASCAR team Graham: GOP will confirm Trump's Supreme Court nominee before the election Southwest Airlines, unions call for six-month extension of government aid MORE said Friday it was time for Speaker John Boehner John Andrew BoehnerLongtime House parliamentarian to step down Five things we learned from this year's primaries Bad blood between Pelosi, Meadows complicates coronavirus talks MORE to go because he didn’t fight hard enough for conservative principles.



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Mobbed by reporters outside the main ballroom at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington ahead of his speech to the Values Voters Summit, the front-runner for the 2016 GOP nomination said’s announced resignation was “a good thing.”“I think it’s time, it’s a good thing,” Trump said. “Someone else will come in and maybe they’ll have a tougher attitude.”Asked by The Hill if Boehner fought sufficiently for conservative principles, Trump responded: “No, he didn’t. Not enough.”

"I don't think he's a conservative," the celebrity real estate tycoon said of Boehner.



“I think it’s time for him [to move on] and the party and everybody,” Trump added.

Asked whether he had preference for Boehner's replacement, Trump said he did not but that he believes there are some good contenders.



Boehner has become a punching bag for Republicans at the conservative Values Voters Summit. Many of the attendees learned of the news for the first time from Florida Sen. Marco Rubio Marco Antonio RubioMurky TikTok deal raises questions about China's role Sunday shows preview: Justice Ginsburg dies, sparking partisan battle over vacancy before election Florida senators pushing to keep Daylight Savings Time during pandemic MORE, another presidenital hopeful, who was one of the first speakers of the day. The ballroom erupted in a standing ovation at the announcement.

—Jonathan Swan contributed.