Governor Sununu: ‘I’m going to support Donald Trump’
Despite his history of criticizing the former president, New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu is falling in line behind Donald J. Trump as the GOP’s presumptive 2024 presidential nominee.
Sununu championed the candidacy of former United Nations ambassador Nikki Haley. But now that Haley has suspended her campaign, Sununu is reiterating his commitment to support the candidate Republicans choose to challenge President Biden.
“I’m going to support the ticket. I’m going to support Donald Trump,” Sununu told WMUR’s Adam Sexton on Thursday. “But my focus is definitely going to be here in the state.”
Sununu said the Biden administration has shown fiscal irresponsibility, a lack of management, and a failure to understand the nation’s current immigration-related challenges. So, he said, he’s backing Trump as the GOP alternative to Biden.
Marisa Nahem, a spokesperson for the Biden campaign in New Hampshire, replied by contrasting the two candidates.
“Donald Trump brags about overturning Roe, vows to repeal the Affordable Care Act, believes we should ‘get over’ school shootings, and consistently attacks our veterans and military families,” the campaign said in a statement. “President Biden has worked to strengthen New Hampshire communities, protect Granite Staters’ rights, and lower costs for families while Donald Trump is campaigning on his agenda of revenge and retribution for himself and his ultra-wealthy friends. The contrast couldn’t be more clear.”
Sununu is also standing by his past criticisms of Trump, and disagrees with Trump on certain issues. Trump’s claim that he should enjoy absolute presidential immunity for his conduct in office, for example, is “crazy,” Sununu said.
After the GOP’s disappointing electoral performance in 2018, 2020, and 2022, Sununu told CNN’s Anderson Cooper last year that Trump has been a drag on the party and would continue to hamper its odds in 2024’s down-ballot races. He called Trump a “three-time loser going on to be a four-time loser.”
Trump has returned fire, calling Sununu a “loser” who ran for president “without having the courage to announce.” Sununu — who publicly toyed with the idea of launching a presidential bid but ultimately decided against it — responded in January by suggesting Trump is too old to communicate effectively.
Sununu’s beef with Trump isn’t exactly fresh. He made headlines in 2022 by calling the former president “[expletive] crazy.” And just two weeks ago, at the Politico’s Governors Summit, Sununu said the GOP won’t be Trump’s party forever. “A-holes come and go,” he said. “But America is here to stay.”