Exclusive: Donald Trump 'Disappointed' in Ohio Gov. John Kasich for Not Endorsing
Trump sat down with ABC News' David Muir for an interview Monday in Ohio.
— -- Republican nominee Donald Trump said he was “disappointed” in Ohio Gov. John Kasich for backing out of a pledge all the Republican presidential candidates were required to sign in September of last year.
“You know, I'm disappointed that people signed a pledge and they signed it so I would sign it,” said Trump, who along with his running mate Gov. Mike Pence sat down for an exclusive interview with ABC News' David Muir Monday afternoon in Ohio.
Like Kasich, Trump signed the RNC pledge assuring that he would support the Republican nominee and not make a third-party bid for the presidency. But after Kasich dropped out of the race for the White House and it became clear that Trump would win the nomination, Kasich would not throw his support behind Trump.
To catch more of David Muir's interview with Donald Trump and Mike Pence, watch "Good Morning America" at 7 a.m. Tuesday.
“The pledges were signed by everybody so that I would sign it because they didn’t want me to be out there as a free agent so to speak. And most of them came through,” Trump said, pointing to New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Dr. Ben Carson, both of whom he fought with during the primary season.
Pence said they were in contact with Kasich.
“I hold Gov. Kasich in high regard. Look, these two went through a tough competition together,” Pence said of Trump and Kasich. “I respect that, these things sometimes take time.”
The Ohio governor is not the only former Republican candidate who is withholding his endorsement of Trump. Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush skipped the Republican National Convention in July and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz instead encouraged the GOP convention to “vote your conscience.”
Ohio is a battleground state and a key state for Trump to win. Polling in the Buckeye State shows a tight race between Trump and Clinton. Ohio has voted for the winner of every election since 1960.