Fox News Anchor Dismisses Conservatives Criticizing Trump Comeback: They Just ‘Never Liked Trump’

Fox News host Charles Payne dismissed recent criticism of former President Donald Trump from conservatives who are angry about the GOP’s underwhelming performance in the midterms.

While filling in on Wednesday’s edition of Your World with Neil Cavuto, Payne argued that criticism is coming from those who were already not fans of the country’s 45th president.

Payne noted Trump’s decision to declare his 2024 candidacy two years before the actual election has been met with a mixed reaction from Republicans. He aired a clip of New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu (R) mocking Trump’s bid for a second term a day earlier.

“He’s really making an announcement at one of his weakest political points, right?” Sununu told Fox News on Tuesday. “I mean, we just got crushed in this election. He’s never been weaker politically. It’s really an announcement from a defensive position. And therefore, I think it’s going to make a little bit of news and we’re all going to move on.”

Sununu, a moderate, didn’t rule out his own run for 2024. Payne said the governor and others who have shared similar criticism of Trump’s attempt at a political comeback have never cared for the polarizing former president.

“A lot of the Republicans that are coming out against Trump never liked Trump,” he said. “There’s not a lot of people that love him that don’t like him. Some folks were pushed out [out of the party], some people that never got along with him well.”

Payne said criticism of Trump coming from within the GOP suggests there will be “significant infighting.” He concluded that the eventual 2024 nominee, whomever that will be, could be “damaged” by a contentious primary.

Watch above, via Fox News.