Watch Fox's Shep Smith use Paul Ryan's words to skewer Trump's self-pardon claim

Fox News' Shep Smith began his Wednesday afternoon show by not only condemning President Donald Trump's latest attempt to thwart the rule of law, but also by using one of his erstwhile congressional ally's words against him.

"President Trump is not above the law," Smith said. "He should not pardon himself and there's no evidence at all that the FBI put a spy in the Trump campaign."

The quote, the host continued, came "not from critics, but from the top Republican in the U.S. House of representatives — the speaker Paul Ryan."

During a press conference earlier in the day, Ryan told reporters that "no one is above the law" when asked if Trump has the ability to pardon himself. He went on to concede that although he does not know the "technical" answer to the question of whether a president can self-pardon, Trump "obviously" shouldn't do so.

At the start of the week, Trump tweeted that he has the "absolute" right to pardon himself, but wouldn't because he's "done nothing wrong."

Watch Smith use Ryan's words against Trump below, via Fox News: