Story highlights House Speaker Paul Ryan has long held the position that he wants to rein in entitlements

He said President Donald Trump has talked to him about the issue

Washington (CNN) President Donald Trump ran on a vow to not cut benefits for Medicare, but House Speaker Paul Ryan said he thinks that is still an "open question."

"From all my conversations with the President, he says 'I don't want to change Medicare benefits for people in or near retirement,' and we agree with that," the Wisconsin Republican told reporters in his Capitol suite Tuesday morning.

That's different from what the President has said publicly, and Trump's promises not to slash benefits have been sweeping.

During the 2016 Republican primary campaign, for example, Trump boasted about his position, arguing GOP competitors were following him.

"I was the first & only potential GOP candidate to state there will be no cuts to Social Security, Medicare & Medicaid," he tweeted.

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