WASHINGTON — After months of mistrust, attacks and threats, Donald Trump and establishment Republicans are talking about a possible peace pact.
Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski said Wednesday The Donald and his team have been in discussions with “very influential Republicans” at “the highest levels” about ending hostilities.
He didn’t dispute that the talks involve House Speaker Paul Ryan.
“There are a lot of discussions with people in the establishment about helping the campaign,” Lewandowski told The Post.
“There are a number of very influential Republicans who have reached out to Mr. Trump to provide advice and counsel — very prominent. At the highest levels.”
The billionaire real estate mogul took seven states on Super Tuesday and holds a 319-226 delegate advantage over his nearest competitor, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz.
But establishment leaders, including Ryan, have condemned Trump for his proposal to ban Muslims from entering the United States and his fumbled response to disavowing support from former KKK leader David Duke.
“I’m a unifier,” Trump said after his Super Tuesday wins.
“I’m going to get along great with Congress. Paul Ryan, I don’t know him well, but I’m sure I’m going to get along great with him. If I don’t, he’s going to have to pay a big price.”
As Trump continues his march to the GOP presidential nomination, the stunned establishment has found itself largely helpless to stop him.
Trump tweeted Wednesday that GOP leaders are missing a rare opportunity to get behind him and grow the party.
“Why can’t the leaders of the Republican Party see that I am bringing in new voters by the millions—we are creating a larger, stronger party!” Trump wrote.
One of the most vocal Trump critics, 2012 GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney, scheduled a press conference Thursday in Utah to deliver a speech about the race.
Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah), who backs Florida Sen. Marco Rubio as a consensus candidate to block Trump, predicted Romney would not join with other GOP leaders in the peace talks.
“He’s going to tell it like it is,” Chaffetz said.
One veteran Republican media strategist, Alex Castellanos, said it’s time for the Trump critics to deal with the reality that Trump will be the nominee.
“There is a fantasy effort to stop Trump, like a fantasy campaign to stop yesterday, but it exists only as the denial stage of grief,” Castellanos told the Washington Post.
“Trump has earned the nomination. He won it, fair and square, and we should respect that. Donald Trump whipped the establishment and it is too late for the limp GOP establishment to ask their mommy to step in and rewrite the rules because they were humiliated for their impotence.”