Paul Ryan reportedly makes a major decision after much 'soul searching

A report says that House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.) is considering leaving Congress after much soul-searching in talks with his close friends.

When is Ryan thinking of retiring?

According to sources close to Ryan who spoke with CNN about the matter, they believe he could step down after the 2018 midterm elections. But that is based on the condition that he is able to pass the Republican plan to reform the tax system.

The report says he might even retire sooner than that.

"Trump-haustion"

The CNN report said that exhaustion with President Trump was one of the reasons cited for Ryan mulling over his retirement from Congress.

A Politico report said that Ryan "would like to serve through Election Day 2018 and retire ahead of the next Congress."

What did Ryan say about the report?

Ryan denied the report publicly, saying to reporters that he's in Congress to stay.

Ryan spokeswoman AshLee Strong explained further in a statement saying, "This is pure speculation. As the speaker himself said today, he's not going anywhere any time soon."

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy also denied the report.

Conservative commentator Bill Kristol said of the report, "I think that he's been talking to people, and I think he's not happy at the prospect of defending Donald Trump for another year."