ABC News’s George Stephanopoulos and New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu got into a heated exchange on Sunday over the Republican’s support for former President Trump, despite his past criticism of the 45th president.
Sununu originally backed Nikki Haley but threw his support behind Trump once he became the presumptive GOP nominee—a position the host tried to press him on, pointing to the possibility that Trump is convicted in the hush money case.
"This trial is not going to have major political ramifications that a lot of people think it may have. When it comes to these issues, people see it more as reality TV at this point," Sununu said. "He’ll try to victimize it, and that has worked for him. This has been going on for over a year, and his poll numbers never seem to go down because of the issue."
But Stephanopoulos wouldn’t let up.
“You’re going to politics, though. I’m asking about right and wrong,” he shot back, wondering if Sununu would be “swayed” by a conviction.
“Look, nobody should be shocked that the Republican governor is supporting the Republican president,” Sununu replied.
“You can't ignore inflation,” he added. “You can't ignore the border and say that these issues in the courthouse are going to be the one thing that brings Biden back into office. It's not going to happen that way.”
The governor emphasized that it’s not just about having Trump as president but “having a Republican administration -- Republican secretaries, Republican rules, a sense where states' rights come first, individual rights come first, parents’ rights come first.”
But Stephanopoulos couldn’t square Sununu’s past criticism of Trump, including on the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, with his position now.
“I understand you're part of the media. I understand you’re in this New York City bubble or whatever it is, but you’ve got to look around what's happening across this country. They’re not -- it's not about just supporting Trump. It’s getting rid of what we have today,” Sununu said.
“It's about understanding inflation is crushing families. It's understanding that this border issue is not a Texas issue. It's a 50-state issue, right, that has to be brought under control,” he continued.
“It's about that type of elitism that the average American is just sick and tired of,” Sununu added. “And it's a culture change. That's what I’m supporting. That's what most of America right now is looking to support, and wants to change there.”
In an exchange with @GStephanopoulos, GOP Gov. Sununu stands by Jan. 6 criticism of Trump but now says convictions wouldn't be disqualifying.
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) April 14, 2024
“If you ask the average American, is Jan. 6 a top issue when you go in the ballot box—not even in the top five.” https://t.co/RueItdDXKE pic.twitter.com/MLeE7XBDNK
