Key Haley Backer Torches Trump’s Idea of ‘Total Immunity’ for Presidents — But Re-Ups His Support for Trump if He’s GOP Nominee
New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu (R) had to explain how he could back Donald Trump for 2024 — should he win the nomination — right after he slammed the former president’s claims that he should have “total immunity” from prosecution.
Sununu has been a staunch ally of Nikki Haley’s during her presidential bid, and the New Hampshire primary on Tuesday could render a verdict on whether the former South Carolina governor can remain competitive with Trump in the race for the GOP nomination. Trump’s lead in the latest Granite State polls has been growing, and as such, Sununu has been facing questions about his promise to fall in line behind Trump — who he has criticized in the past — should the ex-president lock up the nomination.
On Sunday, Sununu insisted to NBC’s Kristen Welker that the primary results out of New Hampshire and South Carolina won’t be the “make-or-break” for Haley’s campaign. Welker then pressed Sununu on Trump repeatedly claiming he should have “total immunity” — whether for ordering the death of political rivals, or for other actions that “cross the line.”
Asked if he agrees with that premise, Sununu answered “Of course not.”
SUNUNU: “The amazing thing about that clip is he was dead serious. He wasn’t even making one of his ridiculous jokes. He was dead serious about that. And that should give everybody — I don’t care what political party you’re from, whether you’re an extreme conservative or a socialist liberal — everybody should be concerned with that type of mentality going into the White House.
WELKER: And yet, you are saying if he is the nominee that you are going to support him. How can you say that you’ll support him, given that you disagree with that statement?
SUNUNU: Look, at the end of the day, I think most Republicans are going to get behind the Republican nominee. I’m hoping that it’s obviously Nikki Haley. This is how bad Joe Biden is. Six months ago Trump couldn’t beat Biden. This is how bad Joe Biden is.
The exchange continued — with Welker pressing Sununu further on how he could back Trump between this and his actions regarding January 6th.
“You would still vote for Donald Trump in a general election against Joe Biden?” Welker asked.
“According to the polls, most of America would.” Sununu answered. “This is how bad Biden has been. This is how incompetent he’s been. The guy can barely get off the stage. Nobody wants what is currently, and everybody is scared of a President Kamala Harris.”
“Do you believe that former President Trump would follow the Constitution if he were reelected to a second term?” Welker asked
“My sense is if he were in there in a second term, not a whole lot is going to happen,” Sununu said, “because nobody’s going to be willing to work with him.”
Welker noticed the dodge since she asked again “Do you think he would follow the Constitution?”
His answer: a less-than-convinced “I would hope so.”
Watch above via NBC.
