News Analysis: Republican Party's split could be mended as Trump softens stance on key issues

The split within the Republican Party (GOP) over controversial candidate Donald Trump could be mended as the brash billionaire softens his stance on key issues such as a proposed ban on entry of Muslims.

In a recent interview with Fox News Radio, Trump, the presumptive GOP nominee for the 2016 presidential race, said his proposal to temporarily bar Muslims from travelling to the United States was "just a suggestion."

Trump made the proposal later last year after 130 people were killed in a spate of terror attacks in Paris, France by Islamic State terrorists.

But it has been sharply criticized by many establishment Republicans who dislike him for his often over-the-top rhetoric and un-presidential demeanor.

GOP House Speaker Paul Ryan, in an interview with U.S. media last week, said he was "not ready" to endorse Trump even the latter became the presumptive nominee, hinting that the controversial candidate should adjust his tone and policies to unite the party.

On Thursday, Trump held meetings in Washington with Ryan, Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus and other prominent GOP lawmakers, in a bid to win the support from the Republican establishment.

In a sign of moderating, Trump, who never hesitated to ridicule and hammer establishment Republicans in his past speeches, reportedly listened attentively to the lawmakers.

While still declining to endorse Trump, Ryan sounded optimistic about future reconciliation, describing the meeting as good, positive and productive.

Ryan said at a press conference after meeting Trump that "a Hillary Clinton presidency would be disastrous for this country," referring to the likely Democratic nominee.

"The question is can we unify around our common principles?" he asked, adding that he was "very encouraged that we can put that together."

Indeed, while many Republicans harshly dislike Trump, analysts said the party will eventually fall in line and back the nominee, as the alternative would be losing the White House to Democrats for the third term in a row.

"Trump slowly is bringing the GOP together. While some party leaders have disavowed him, more and more legislators and state officials from around the country are supporting him," Brookings Institution's senior fellow Darrell West told Xinhua.

"Many people in the party understand that running away from Trump will hurt the party and doom Republicans to a poor showing in the fall," West said.

He said reality is one of the factors that led a number of Republicans to embrace Trump because he is the standard-bearer now whether people like his policies or not.

Julian Zelizer, professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University, told Xinhua that it is important to note that a number of prominent Republicans have already backed Trump.

Of course, some Republican lawmakers will not likely embrace Trump because they don't like Trump's foreign policy and feel that he is too harsh on trade and immigration.

But Zelizer said some animosity from within the GOP might even benefit Trump in the race to the White House.

"There will be some (Republicans who will not support Trump), but in certain respects, Trump is fine with that outcome. It allows him to keep fighting the Republican establishment even as he represents the party," Zelizer said.

Still, most of the GOP camp will eventually cave and come to the realization that Trump is the only alternative to a Clinton presidency, experts said.

"By the fall, Trump is likely to have brought many Republicans inside the tent and will be able to say he has united most of the party behind himself," West said. Endit