Speaker of the House Paul Ryan answers questions at a press conference at the U.S. Capitol on September 21 in Washington, DC.

Story highlights

Paul Ryan says he speaks to the President-elect "about every day"

"We have to bring relief as fast as possible to people who are struggling under Obamacare," Ryan says

Washington CNN  — 

Paul Ryan and President-elect Donald Trump, at odds for much of the 2016 campaign, now speak “about every day,” the House speaker said in a wide-ranging interview aired Sunday.

The Wisconsin Republican told interviewer Scott Pelley on the CBS’s “60 Minutes” he often calls the incoming President on his cell phone to discuss the legislative agenda in 2017. That includes tackling health care and immigration, Ryan said.

A signature platform plan of Trump’s has been repealing and replacing Obamacare immediately upon taking office in January. Ryan acknowledged that, as many health care experts are predicting, this may take a significant amount of time and a transition period will be necessary.

“We have to bring relief as fast as possible to people who are struggling under Obamacare,” Ryan said. “We will give everyone access to affordable health care coverage.”

Trump and Ryan didn’t always work so closely together. The speaker during the primary season from time to time denounced Trump proposals, such as a ban on Muslim immigrants into the US. And Trump took his time endorsing Ryan against a Republican primary opponent.

Ryan went on to discuss Trump’s changing positions on a key number of issues, most notably immigration policy.

Trump has gone from saying he plans to deport all 11 million illegal immigrants to focusing just on those who have committed crimes. He also originally said he aimed to build a wall the entire length of the US-Mexico border, but he has also pushed back on this as well.

“No, No, we’re not working on a deportation force,” Ryan told Pelley. He said that Trump plans to focus on “enforcing laws for people who came here illegally, who came and committed violent crimes.”

A border wall may not be necessary everywhere, Ryan said.

“I think conditions on the ground determine what you need in a particular area. Some areas, you might need a wall. Some area, you might need double fencing.”

Ryan also discussed the President-elect’s frequent use of Twitter, including a series of eyebrow-raising comments about world affairs and even “Saturday Night Live” spoofs. Trump has also tweeted that he had actually won the popular vote, except for millions of people he falsely claimed voted illegally, backing Hillary Clinton.

Ryan tried to deflect the conversation from Trump’s Twitter controversies.

“I have no way of backing that up. I have no knowledge of such things,” Ryan said. “But I don’t– it doesn’t matter to me. He won the election.”